Rachel Caswell, vocals, and Vaughn Ambrose, saxophone, are joined by members of the UNCW jazz faculty in a tribute to the noted 1962 release by Nancy Wilson and Cannonball Adderley
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About the Artists
Rachel Caswell
Jazz vocalist Rachel Caswell is
known for her improvisational prowess, her pinpoint accuracy of pitch and
rhythm, and her depth of delivery and interpretation of popular song. Her most
recent recording, We’re All in the Dance (2018), features some of New York’s top
performers including Dave Stryker, Fabian Almazan, Linda May Han Oh, Johnathan
Blake, and Sara Caswell. Mark Sullivan of All About Jazz writes, “This is a great band….Caswell is the star, but
she’s no diva. She is much better than that: a jazz musician in the company of
other jazz musicians.” Her CD All I Know: Duets with Dave Stryker & Jeremy Allen (2015) elicited the following response from
jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan: “Rachel is a wonderful singer with a
deep feeling and a fantastic improvisational talent complimented by a lovely
rich sound.” And in
response to Rachel’s debut CD Some Other Time (2003) with Lynne Arriale, Kelly Sill, Steve
Davis, and her sister, violinist Sara Caswell, internationally renowned jazz
pedagogue David Baker said, “Rachel Caswell is that rara avis who is truly a jazz vocalist. Her intonation is impeccable,
her diction precise, her jazz sensibilities above reproach, and she swings like
mad!”
Caswell has performed at
colleges, festivals, and a variety of venues nationwide. In addition to her
solo work, she and her sister Sara lead the Caswell Sisters Quintet and have made
such notable appearances as a weeklong After-Hours engagement at Dizzy’s Club
Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City and an enthusiastically
received set on the opening night concert of the 2010 Jazz Education Network conference
in St. Louis. Their debut Caswell Sisters album Alive in the Singing Air featuring jazz pianist Fred Hersch was
released in early 2013 and has garnered numerous rave reviews. Other notables
with whom Rachel has performed include The Glenn Miller Orchestra, John Blake,
Jr., Ingrid Jensen, the Billy Taylor Trio, and Curtis Fuller.
Caswell has appeared at the Bar
Next Door in New York City, the 2016 Jazz Education Network conference in
Louisville, Kentucky, the Blue Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cornelia
Street Café in New York City, ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn, New York, and the
Jazz Cabaret Series at the Kentucky Center of the Arts in Louisville, Kentucky.
Appearances at colleges and universities include Temple University, University
of Denver, Vassar College, Depauw University, Hope College, University of
Evansville, Eastern Illinois University, West Virginia State University,
University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Indiana State University, and the
University of Indianapolis. She has also performed with big bands in Fargo,
North Dakota, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, with jazz bands from Indiana
University and Ball State University, and with the Stardusters Big Band.
Caswell’s pedagogical experience
includes serving as an adjunct lecturer in Music at Indiana University where
she teaches jazz history courses. She also has conducted jazz-related
masterclasses and clinics at numerous colleges and universities nationwide and
was a judge and clinician at the University of New Hampshire for the 2011 Clark
Terry Jazz Festival, the 2013 Boise State University Vocal Jazz Festival, and
multiple years at the Bloomington Jazz Festival.
A native of Bloomington, Indiana,
Rachel’s compelling improvisation skills developed out of her many years of
instrumental jazz studies on piano and as a cellist under IU Distinguished
Professor David Baker. A student of Baker’s from age 13, Caswell continued her
studies at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music on a full scholarship as
a Wells Scholar, graduating with High Distinction in 1995 with degrees in
classical cello and jazz studies. In 1998 she completed her Master of Music in
Jazz Studies in Voice with Academic Honors and Distinction in Performance at
Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music where she studied with Dominique
Eade, Carol Sloane, Danilo Perez, George Garzone, and John McNeil.
While in graduate school, Caswell
was chosen as one of two vocalists for the 1997 Thelonious Monk Institute Jazz
Colony at Jazz Aspen/Snowmass and was named the winner of the 1997 Hilton Head
Jazz Society Scholarship. Caswell also placed in the top ten out of 150
contestants in the 2005 jazzconnect.com annual vocal competition, appearing in one
judge’s top five. She has had coachings with Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Barry
Harris, and Clark Terry and appears on Sara Caswell’s recordings First Song (Double-Time)
and But Beautiful (Arbors).
Vaughn Ambrose
A tremendously versatile artist who moves seamlessly from Big Band
and post-Bop to R&B and funk. A native of North Carolina, Vaughn
earned his BM in Music Education and MM in Jazz Studies at East Carolina
University under the tutelage of his mentor, Carroll V Dashiell as well as
artist and distinguished professor, Bob Mintzer.
Ambrose is the director of jazz at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes
Upper School in Alexandria VA. As a highly sought-after educator, he
serves as guest clinician and soloist with schools and ensembles nationally and
internationally. Additionally, he is an adjudicator for Festivals of
Music, an internationally recognized music festival series for middle and high
school performance groups.
In
addition to his celebrated career as an educator, and in-demand soloist, Vaughn
leads his own Jazz quartet in the DC metro area and freelances up and down the East
Coast. He has performed at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland,
the JVC Jazz Festival in New York City and the International Association of
Jazz Educators Convention.
In recognition of his contributions to music education, he has
been the recipient of numerous teaching honors: Yale University Teaching Award;
Northern Virginia Educational Leadership Award; Veterans of Foreign Wars
National Citizenship Education Teacher Post Recognition Award; Alexandria
Education Partnership Excellence in Education Teacher Award; Alexandria City
Alex Award for Outstanding Contribution to Arts Education.
Vaughn has performed in concert with: Bob Mintzer and the
Yellowjackets, Vanessa Ruben, Stephanie Jordan, Nnenna Freelon, Terell
Stafford, Jon Faddis, Carl Allen, Little Anthony and The Imperials, the Dells,
Ashford and Simpson, the Spinners, The Temptations, Lou Rawls, Aretha Franklin,
and Gladys Knight.
In March 2009, as a member of the
group Alvin Atkinson and the Sound Merchants, Vaughn participated in an
inspiring State Department tour, where they performed and lectured in
Afghanistan, Armenia, Iraq and Lebanon.
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Tickets
$6 general public, free to students with valid UNCW ID.
Tickets are available in advance through the UNCW Box Office (located in Kenan Auditorium) and one hour prior to performance at the Kenan Auditorium Box Office.
Advance tickets may be purchased online or by calling the box office at 910-962-3500 (M-F) Any remaining tickets will be available one hour prior to performance at the Kenan Auditorium Box Office.
UNCW students may obtain tickets in advance by going to the UNCW Box Office (located in Kenan Auditorium) Monday-Friday 12 - 4 p.m.
Don't forget! The box office closes 15 minutes after the start of a Department of Music event.
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For more information or to join our email list, contact us
or call 910-962-3415 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Directions to Kenan Auditorium:
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DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC CONCERT GUIDELINES FOR UNCW STUDENTS
Arrive on time: at least 10 minutes before start of concert
• Arrive at the concert venue at least 10 minutes before the posted concert time. If you need to get a ticket at the box office, have your UNCW student ID ready and arrive at least another 5 sooner.
• The box office will only be open for ticket sales and distribution to students up until 15 minutes after the performance begins.
• Students arriving 5 minutes after the start time of the event will not be admitted free with their UNCW ID card, and must purchase tickets in order to be admitted. If the box office has closed, students will not be admitted into the venue.
Concert attendance and program stamping
Programs for students registered in Department of Music classes are stamped by the ushers at the end of the performance.
• If you leave before the concert ends, your program will not be stamped.
• If ushers should run out of programs, ask them to stamp your ticket stub at the end of the concert. Let your teacher know what happened.
Use of electronic devices during performances
• use of computers, tablets, phones is not allowed during performances. Anyone using an electronic device will be asked to put it away. Noncompliance may result in being asked to leave the event.