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Brian Switzer

NorCal Jazz director, Brian Switzer, is currently leads the Carlmont Jazz Ensembles as the Asst. Band Director at Carlmont High School in Belmont. . Mr Switzer was the director of the Borel Middle School Jazz Band from 2001 until 2012. The Borel Jazz Band regularly performed 14 concerts a year and was selected to participate in the Next Generation Monterey Jazz Festival (2011, 2010 and 2009), the National PTA Convention (2009), was the featured musical group at the National Elementary School Principal’s Convention at Moscone Center (2004), and earned top marks at the CMEA, Folsom, Campana, Santa Cruz and Fullerton jazz festivals.

Mr. Switzer toured the world from 2012-2014, playing solo trumpet for the Grammy award winning band, Train. He performed the hit single “50 Ways to Say Goodbye” with them live on The David Letterman Show, The Today Show, VH1, The Talk and a live concert on PBS.

Mr. Switzer has maintained an active private studio for twenty years. Since 2002, fourteen seniors have graduated from the studio, all fourteen of whom went on to play in college - most with significant scholarships - at UCLA (4), The New School in New York City (2), Berkelee Music School (2), NYU, Indiana University, Long Beach State, UC Berkeley, Stanford and UC Davis. Mr. Switzer graduated with a degree in music education and jazz performance from UCLA.

Mr. Switzer believes strongly in the power of music education and loves sharing his musical knowledge with younger players. He hopes his students will find great joy in learning and continue to make music for their entire lives. This is the ultimate goal of every class Mr. Switzer teaches.

Logo Black and white.jpg Mr. Switzer created and published the JazzDeck®, a musical “textbook in a box” that helps players of all levels build confidence and sharpen their chops as jazz soloists.

www.jazzdeck.com

JazzDeck has been released to widespread acclaim.

Thousands of individual orders have been filled to 39 different countries Music stores and book stores throughout the World carry JazzDeck JazzDeck was one of the best sellers for Jamey Aebersold and JWPepper in 2015. Hundreds of schools have purchased class sets Bass Player Magazine featured JazzDeck in their New Gear section SF JAZZ provided a JazzDeck to each member of the SF Jazz High School All-Star Big Band, First Place NextGen Monterey 2014 Several of the top high school jazz programs around the country - including The Tuscon Jazz Institute (First place Essentially Ellington Festival 2012, First place Conglomerate Band The Next Generation Festival 2012, Performing Arts High School Winner DownBeat Magazine's 35th annual student awards) and Las Vegas School of the Arts have ordered class sets and are hosting Mr.

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Album Review

Bob Weir: Ace - 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (2CD)

Read "Ace - 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (2CD)" reviewed by Doug Collette


Befitting its heady milestone date, the title of Bob Weir's initial solo album, Ace, carries multiple meanings. First of all, it was the Grateful Dead guitarist, vocalist & songwriter's nickname at the time of its gestation and completion (his bawdy persona as such mirrored in the ultra-suave pose on the inside photo as well as the risque cover art). More importantly, the album's name is also a reflection of the gambling lore so prevalent in songs of the ...

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