October 6, 2023“Mixing Big Band Jazz with James Brown Soul” (The Observer), eight-time GRAMMY Award-winning bassist Christian McBride joins Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra on October 28 at the Center for the Arts. Met Jazz will be led by founder, artistic director, and virtuoso saxophonist Jim Carroll, in an unforgettable night of bravado, improvisation, and jazz swagger. McBride will participate in a pre-performance discussion on Monson Grand Tier 45 minutes prior to curtain. Following the concert, audience members are invited to enjoy the sounds of Mason Jazz students over drinks in the Center’s lobby for the first installment of Jazz Club at the Center.
Jazz Times magazine writes: "Breedlove has chops...and is the leader of a tight, forceful band". AllAboutJazz.com has called Graham Breedlove "A trumpet player with an exquisite tone and provocative harmonic ideas...Breedlove exhibits great control and cranks out some head-turning melodic ideas". The International Trumpet Guild's Journal raves, "...one of the most exciting trumpet players on the planet!" Also active as a composer, Graham’s work has been featured on NBC’s Today show, Food Network’s Emeril Live, ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos and the Washington Post has called it “...terrific...with luminous, fine-grained autumnal harmonies...”.
Saxophonist, composer, and educator John Kocur is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at George Mason University where he directs the Jazz Workshop and teaches jazz history and improvisation. He previously taught at Northern Virginia Community College. He serves as saxophonist with the 257th Army Band of the D.C. National Guard, “the Band of the Nation’s Capital.”
Origin Records recording artist, Darden Purcell is a Washington DC based featured soloist with symphony orchestras, big bands and small ensembles and jazz educator. Ms. Purcell has shared the stage with top jazz artists including Maria Schneider, Christian McBride, Branford Marsalis, Terell Stafford, Joe Locke, Walt Weiskopf, Eric Alexander, Eddie Daniels, Alan Baylock, Byron Stripling, Bobby Floyd, The Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, US Navy Band Commodores, Airmen of Note, US Army Blues, American Festival Pops Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra, performing nationally and internationally, including Blues Alley, Club Bonafide (NYC), The Jazz Kitchen, Blue Wisp, Bop Stop, Chris’s Jazz Café, Blue Jazz+, Con Alma, JazzB (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Aalt Stadhaus (Luxembourg), Wolf Trap and The Kennedy Center (back-up vocals for Mr. George Benson, Caroline Shaw, Ben Folds, Sara Bareilles). Dr. Purcell is the Director of Jazz Studies, Jazz Voice Instructor and Director of the Downbeat Award-winning, Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble at George Mason University.
Professor Jim Carroll has a versatile background ranging from tours with Michael Jackson to Woody Herman and The Thundering Herd. Jim received both his Undergraduate and Graduate training from Indiana University under the tutelage of David Baker and Eugene Rousseau.
