Monday, April 14, 2014
UI Latin Jazz Ensemble group photo
The UI Latin Jazz Ensemble. Photo courtesy of James Dreier.

The University of Iowa School of Music will present a free performance by the UI Latin Jazz Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 21, in Riverside Recital Hall on the UI campus.

The program will feature:

  • Irazu by Luis Bonilla
  • Palmas by Eddie Palmieri
  • Mixing by Airto Moreira
  • Morning by Lare Fischer
  • Oferere (song and bembe for Ochosi) by Oscar Hernandez
  • A Nonite Do Meu Bem by Dolores Buran
  • Golpe de Cumaco by Luis Perdomo (arr. Vince Norman)

The Latin Jazz Ensemble consists of Jeffrey Miguel, alto sax/flute; Jonathon Birdsall, tenor sax; Nathaniel Ferguson, baritone sax; Ryan Wedoff, trumpet/flugal horn; Jack Finnegan, trombone; Grace Leong Zhe Fui, piano; Genji Onishi, upright/electric bass; Carlo Kind, drums/percussion; Nathaniel Yoder, percussion; and Joe Verstraete, percussion.

james dreier portrait
James Dreier

The ensemble is directed by James Dreier, lecturer in the UI School of Music. He is a drum set-Latin percussion specialist, educator, clinician, and performer. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Berklee College of Music and a Master of Arts degree in music theory from the UI.

Dreier was a founding member of the Iowa-based Latin/jazz group Orquesta Alto Maiz, which released eight CDs over a 25-year span. He now leads his own Latin jazz group, Ritmocano, and has just released a CD, Familia, A Latin Jazz Journey, under the Realtown record label. Dreier has made frequent research trips to Brazil and Cuba, where he studied with local master drummers and musicians.

The School of Music is part of the Division of Performing Arts in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to attend the concert, contact the School of Music in advance at 319-335-1603.

For a UI arts calendar and details about upcoming events visit the Arts Iowa website.