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Peter Sommer
Peter has performed with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra, and has appeared at many jazz festivals throughout the state including the Telluride Jazz Celebration, Jazz in the Sangres and the Vail Jazz Festival. Peter was recently featured as a guest soloist with the University of Wyoming Jazz Ensemble I as part of the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 1 Conference held in Laramie, WY. Peter has performed in concert with Greg Gisbert, Ron Miles, Brad Goode, Bobby Shew, John McNeil, Clay Jenkins, Bobby Watson, Dave Pietro, Don Aliquo, Paul McKee, Dale Bruning, Jim McNeely, Joanne Brackeen, Chip Stephens, Rosanna Vitro and Ernie Andrews.
Peter Sommer is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and Saxophone at Colorado State University in Ft. Collins. At CSU, Mr. Sommer directs Jazz Ensemble I and the CSU Jazz Combo program, in addition to teaching courses in Jazz Improvisation and Jazz Pedagogy.
Peter received both his Bachelors’ degree in Music and his Masters in Jazz Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado at Boulder. During his time at CU, Peter was awarded first place in the Jazz Improvisation Competition at the North American Saxophone Alliance National Conference, was the recipient of a Downbeat Student Music Award for Outstanding Performance by a Soloist in both the Jazz and Blues/Pop/Rock categories, was a member of three jazz combos that received Downbeat Student Music Awards for Outstanding Performance by a small jazz group, and was featured with the University of Colorado Jazz Ensemble I which also received an Outstanding Performance award.
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Ben Markley: Ari's Funhouse
by Angelo Leonardi
Accade spesso nel jazz che dagli incontri estemporanei nascano le cose migliori. Il bandleader e arrangiatore Ben Markley e il batterista Ari Hoenig si sono conosciuti nel 2019 in un jazz festival del Texas. Da quell'incontro è nato questo progetto discografico, che ha visto Markley orchestrare le composizioni di Hoenig per la big band che guida a Denver. Il batterista è ospite dell'ensemble e dà il suo contributo con un vivace e articolato sostegno ritmico. L'album è stato registrato nel ...
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read morePeter Sommer: Tremolo Canteen
by Florence Wetzel
Like food, music can be hastily prepared and obvious, or it can be thoughtfully concocted, with delicious subtleties of flavor and seasoning. Saxophonist Peter Sommer's standout Tremolo Canteen is happily the latter, full of intricate layers and quiet surprises, performed by four excellent musicians who came of age in the Denver jazz scene. Sommer's tenor lines are strong and multifaceted, and yet at the same time there's a quality to his playing that's refreshingly understated. He can ...
read morePeter Sommer: Crossroads
by Hrayr Attarian
It takes self-confidence and talent for a new musician to lock horns with a more experienced practitioner of the same instrument, and tenor saxophonist Peter Sommer has plenty of both. His only other recording was a collaborative effort with pianist Art Lande, and this second recording is his first as a leader. On this record, Sommer's seasoned partner is Rich Perry, a veteran of the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra and a member of the Maria Schneider ...
read morePeter Sommer: Crossroads
by Jerry D'Souza
Tenor saxophonist Peter Sommer is at the Crossroads with Rich Perry (tenor saxophone), Eric Gunnison (piano), Ken Walker (bass) and Todd Reid (drums), as they parlay a selection of standards and originals into an interesting journey through focus and commitment.
Sommer is not apprehensive in reshaping a standard and taking it in a new direction. In doing so, he raises the stakes in tandem with Perry. The contrast in their styles makes it all the more ...
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