Clovis High School Advanced Jazz Band Roster New York
Eric Benitez- alto sax
Danielle Densmore- alto sax
Thomas Voelz Tenor sax
Sean McDonough Tenor sax
Nathaniel Brown Bari sax
Stephen Gerloff trombone
Joseph Sallee trombone
Brandon Bliatout -trombone
Jeff Corgiat Cawelti trombone
Robert Linares Trumpet
Nick Schoenherr-Trumpet
David Corum Trumpet
Tyler Webb Trumpet
Johnya Saiho Trumpet
Shayne Baldwin -piano
Kylie Henkel - bass
Bryce Lowenthal- drums
Micah Brubaker drums /percussion
--
Clovis High Jazz Band Bio Short Biography
The Clovis High Jazz Band has received unanimous Superior ratings at every festival they have attended in the last 15 years and the second jazz band at the high school also routinely receives unanimous Superiors. Twice a year the band hosts professional musicians from San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York in concerts with the students. In the past, those concerts have included Charlie Shoemake (vibes), Bill Cunliffe (piano), Paul Hanson (electric bassoon), Francisco Torres, Ira Nepus, Bob McChesney (trombone), Plas Johnson, Gary Smulyan, Remy LeBouef, Jeanette Harris (sax), Ron Blake, Mike Vax (trumpet), Ed Thigpen, Duffy Jackson (drums), Carmen Bradford (vocals) and many more. The band has been featured at the California State Music Educators Convention and has been awarded second place twice in the California Alliance for Jazz State competition. They have won the Fullerton Jazz Festival and the San Joaquin Valley Jazz Festival and placed among the top bands at the Reno Jazz Festival. Many students in the jazz band have gone on to prestigious music schools like Berklee and careers in performing and teaching music. The band has had several top jazz composers write original pieces for them.
Les Nunes Bio Clovis High Jazz Band director
Les was awarded the California Music Educators Association Jazz Director of the year for the State of California in 2016. Les just won a prestigious Clovis Unified Crystal award for Outstanding teaching. He has been awarded a certificate of Excellence by the National Band Directors Association. He has directed the Fresno/Madera Counties Honor Jazz Band several times and the Tulare/ Kings County Honor Jazz Bands numerous times as well. He is a sought after judge and clinician all over the state. Les also has played on over 30 CDs mostly jazz and Christian recordings and has done live performances with The Temptations, The Who, The Four Tops, And Gibb, Melissa Manchester, Gloria Gaynor, Franki Valli and many others. He is on the board of the non- profit group Jazz Fresno and has been a DJ on KFSR where he did a weekly jazz show. He is an accomplished trombonist, guitarist and vocalist. He has been teaching for 35 years and teaches 3 jazz bands at Clovis High and an AP Music Theory class in addition to 2 Jazz bands at Clark Intermediate. He is also an adjunct instructor at Fresno state teaching jazz trombone and Fresno Pacific University teaching low brass. He has taught at Fresno City College and West Hills College. His private instructors have included Ira Nepus, Bill Reichenbach, Bill Yeager, Byron Peebles and Dr. Lawrence Sutherland. He also has done Prison Ministry and been on multiple Missions to Mexico and Africa. His wife Joy is an elementary principal and was the outstanding administrator for the District last year and his son Brian is also an excellent band director at Bullard Talent. He has a wonderful Daughter-in law and 4 incredible Grandchildren -Zac, Addi, Alex and Evy.
2019 New York Music Selection: Music to be selected from -
1.Body and soul Marty Paich
2.Gibraltar- arr. Mike Kamuf
3.Randi - Phil Woods
4.Caribbean fire Dance John Fedchock
5.Hello and goodbye Bob Brookmeyer
6.Sunny side of the Street John Clayton
7.A Little Minor Booze Willie Maiden
8.Wave John LaBarbera
show less
