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Chase Jackson

Currently attending the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in the Jazz Studies Department, Chase Jackson has been performing music since age nine when he began playing vibraphone. Born in Oakland California in 1991, Jackson attended Berkeley High School, an institution notable for turning out jazz greats such as Joshua Redman, Benny Green, Ambrose Akinmusire, Charlie Hunter, and Justin Brown among many others. Performing in the large jazz ensemble, lead by Charles Hamilton, in addition to leading numerous student formed combos, Chase began to compose and arrange his own original music. During this time he concurrently studied vibraphone with percussionist Tommy Kesecker.

While in High School, Chase performed at numerous jazz competitions both local and national, winning outstanding soloist awards in both the big band and combo division. At the 2008 Monterey Next Generation festival, Chase was selected by drummer Terri Lyne Carrington to participate in her Berklee School of Music Summer Jazz Workshop, where he was one of 16 nationally recognized outstanding jazz students who worked personally with her and other notable Berklee faculty. Later that year, he performed at the 51st Monterey Jazz Festival with the 2008 Jazzchool Advanced Jazz Workshop, which later went on to win the DownBeat Student music awards for best conglomerate small jazz group. The following year, he returned to perform at the 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival after winning first place in the Combo Division of the 2009 'Next Generation' national competition. In addition to these honors and accolades, Chase has also performed in Japan at the Kurashiki Jazz Festival, and in Europe at the Montreux Jazz festival in addition to other venues in Asia and Europe.

Chase now studies jazz composition and vibraphone performance at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with Robin Eubanks and Dan Wall respectively and has studied composition and arranging with the late Wendell Logan. Chase is additionally pursuing a major in Political Science within the College of Arts and Sciences at Oberlin. In addition to the vibes, Chase also performs on marimba, bass, guitar, and keyboard.

Awards

Stanford Jazz Workshop 2005 Outstanding Soloist Award Outstanding Achievement Award Folsom Jazz Festival 2006 Award of Excellence IAJE Santa Cruz Jazz Festival April 2006 Citation for Outstanding Musicianship (big band) Citation for Outstanding Musicianship (combo) University of Nevada Reno Jazz festival April 2006: Certificate of Outstanding Musicianship Redwood Empire Jazz Festival December 2006 Outstanding Soloist Award (big band) Citation for Outstanding Musicianship (combo) Merit Scholarship to Cazadero Music Camp Folsom Jazz Festival 2007 Award of Excellence Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival March 24 2007: Combo Finalist (one of 6 nationally) Outstanding Soloist Award (combo) (1 of 6 nationally) Sacramento State Jazz Festival IAJE December 8 2007 Citation for Outstanding Musicianship (big band) Citation for Outstanding Musicianship (combo) IAJE merit scholarship Folsom Jazz Festival 2008 Award of Excellence (big band) Award of Excellence (combo) Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival 2008 Combo Finalist (1 of 6 nationally) Reno Jazz Festival April 2008 Outstanding soloist award (big band) Outstanding soloist award (combo) Delta Jazz Festival 2008 Outstanding musicianship award Folsom Jazz Festival 2008 Award of Excellence Berklee College of Music Invitation and Acceptance into Summer Jazz Workshop (16 admitted nationally) on full merit scholarship, first vibes player Studied with Teri Lynne Carrington and Ed Staindon Received a merit scholarship attend Berklee College full time City of Berkeley Mayor’s 2008 student recognition Performing/Visual Arts award. The Jazzschool Part of “Rising Stars” concert series 3 years in a row. Acceptance into Jazzschool Advanced High School Jazz Workshop, first vibes player Performed original compositions at Monterey Jazz Festival Sept. 2008 Performed original compositions at Yoshi's Jazz club Dec 2nd with Ambrose Akinmusire Part of Jazzschool Advanced High School Jazz Workshop, which won a Downbeat Student Music award for best high school performing arts group for 2009 Other Performed original compositions at the Yoshi’s Jazz club 4 times. Toured Japan with High School Jazz Ensemble, performed originals.

Gear

Musser M55 and M48 Vibraphones Vic Firth "Stefon Harris" Model mallets Vic Firth "Ed Staindon" Model mallets


Tags

"Chase Jackson and his five-piece ensemble... played a fantastic set of both original and standard compositions that strayed toward the more angular, cerebral branch of jazz." -Adam Hirsch

"...a truly incredible performance." - BHS E-Tree

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