MSU Professors of Jazz

The MSU Professors of Jazz are members of the jazz faculty at Michigan State University’s College of Music. The group was established in 2000 to facilitate outreach and recruitment. Since its inception, the group has completed residencies at Detroit Symphony Hall (2004-2006), Wharton Center for the Performing Arts (2004-present), and the Arts League of Michigan Jazz @ the Center (2003-present). Through these residencies the group has performed and presented concerts with several notable international jazz artists, including: Vanessa Rubin, Buster Williams, Jon Faddis, Jon Carl Hendricks, Jimmy Cobb, Wycliffe Gordon, Joe Temperley, Walter Blanding, Andre Hayward, Cyrus Chestnut, Eric Reed, Wessell “Warmdaddy” Anderson, Wynton Marsalis, Ali Jackson, Maya Orr, Marcus Belgrave, Donald Walden, Marcus Printup, Gerald Wilson Big Band, and Ingrid Jensen. In addition, the group performed as the opening act for Kenny Garrett at Detroit Symphony Hall.

This “hard-bop” band has now expanded to an eight-piece ensemble featuring Wes Anderson (alto saxophone), Vincent Chandler (trombone), Derrick Gardner (trumpet), Randy Gelispie (drums), Diego Rivera (tenor saxophone), Rick Roe (piano), Rodney Whitaker (bass and artistic director), and Sunny Wilkinson (voice), and continues to perform music from the jazz canon, including standards, jazz classics, and original compositions. Members of the Professors of Jazz perform internationally, nationally, and locally to support Michigan jazz presenters and educators.

The group offers:
• concerts for young people produced by Wharton Center for the Performing Arts “Jazz Kats”
• concerts/workshops with continuing outreach and recruitment
• master classes
• lecture demonstrations

The group accepts performance opportunities for:
• jazz festivals
• jazz concert series
• jazz residencies
• jazz clubs

The group’s artistic director, Rodney Whitaker, is director of Jazz Studies at Michigan State University. Since 2001, the internationally acclaimed bassist and Mack Avenue recording artist has recruited world-class jazz musicians to be members of the jazz performance faculty at MSU College of Music, helping to make it one of the fastest-growing jazz programs in the country. Whitaker established the MSU Professors of Jazz after a seven-year tenure with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. He is the hardest-working/swinging bass player on the scene and has performed with great musicians, such as the late John Lewis, Dianne Reeves, Mulgrew Miller, and Diana Krall. His wide range of recordings includes artists Roy Hargrove, Pat Methany, and Wynton Marsalis.

For more information about the Professors of Jazz, contact Jazz Studies (517) 432-6449 or Jazz@msu.edu.