Jim White
2019 NOCO Honor Jazz Band Conductor

Drummer Jim White is an active performer and educator. His first musical experiences took place in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, where he studied percussion with Paul Yancinch, Mike Cebulski, Sonny Emory, and Jeff Sipe. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Jazz Studies/Composition from Middle Tennessee State University, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Texas. While a student at the University of North Texas, White performed with the renowned “One O’clock Lab Band” for three years. In 1992, Maynard Ferguson recruited White for his “Big Bop Nouveau” band with which he toured internationally. White is featured on Ferguson’s recording, Footpath Cafe.
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In 1995, White moved to Nashville, Tennessee where he remains active as a performer and studio musician. His versatility and unique sound have been featured on many jazz, pop, and country recordings. White’s performance and recording credits feature a diverse array of artists including J.D. Souther, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Crystal Gayle, Jerry Douglas, Curtis Stigers, Charlie Peacock, Jack Pearson, Pam Tillis, Lorrie Morgan, and Willie Nelson. In addition, he has performed with many top jazz artists including Dick Oatts, Terell Stafford, Joey Defrancesco, Pat Bianchi, Greg Gisbert, Jim Ferguson, Chris Potter, Annie Sellick, the North German Radio (N.D.R.) Big Band, and many others.

As an educator, White has performed clinics at universities and jazz festivals throughout the country. In 2005, he joined the faculty at the University of Northern Colorado, where he currently serves as Professor of Music, Jazz Studies. He directs UNC’s Lab II Big Band, supervises the jazz combo program, teaches jazz history, as well as applied drum set students. In 2010, one of his students was selected as the winner of the “Percussive Arts Society International Jazz Drum Set Competition.” White also directs The Vanguard Combo, which was selected as “Best College Small Jazz Group” by Downbeat magazine in 2010 and 2011. White can be heard regularly with the UNC Faculty Quartet, which features Dana Landry, Steve Kovalcheck, and Erik Applegate. He currently co-leads the Colorado Jazz Orchestra, a big band featuring many of the finest jazz musicians in the Northern Colorado area.

Jim White is proud to be an artist/clinician for Yamaha Drums, Sabian/Crescent Cymbals, Remo Drum Heads, Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets, and Humes & Berg Cases.

NoCo Honor Jazz Band Dates (tentative)

Friday, October 4, 2019 - 5:00pm - Auditions Due
Tuesday, November 19, 2019 - 5:00-8:00p - Sectionals at Poudre HS
Thursday, November 21, 2019 - 4:00-8:00p - Rehearsal at Poudre HS
Friday, November 22, 2019 - 4:00 - 6:00p - Soundcheck at Poudre HS
Friday, November 22, 2019 - 7:00 Concert at Poudre HS

NoCo Honor Jazz Band Audition Instructions

Horns:

• Chromatic Scale, full range of your instrument, ascending AND descending.
• Play the indicated excerpt for your instrument at the indicated metronome marking (metronome should be audible on your recording).
  • Only students interested in playing lead trumpet should record the lead trumpet excerpt.
• Two 12 bar choruses of blues in F or blues in Bb (see your director for play-along recording).
• Optional: Play the head then improvise up to 2 choruses on “Summertime” (see your director for play along recording).
  • Play along recordings for the F/Bb Blues and “Summertime” can be found on Aebersold Vol. 54 “Maiden Voyage.”

Guitar, Piano, Bass, Vibes:

• Play the indicated excerpt for your instrument at the indicated metronome marking (metronome should be audible on your recording).
• Comp 2 choruses of blues (in F or Bb) and solo 2 choruses (see your director for play along recording.)
• Optional: Play the head then improvise up to 2 choruses on “Summertime” see your director for play along recording).
  • Play along recordings for the F/Bb Blues and “Summertime” can be found on Aebersold Vol. 54 “Maiden Voyage.”

Drum Set: 

• Play the indicated excerpts for your instrument at the indicated metronome marking (metronome should be audible on your recording).
• Play 32 bars of Samba at Half note = 100 (example pattern follows the main excerpt) in the following manner:
  • 4 bars of time/4 bars of solo fill, 4 bars of time/4 bars of solo fill, 4 bars of time/4 bars of solo fill, 4 bars of time/4 bars of solo fill… for a total of 32 bars.
• Play 64 bars of Up-tempo swing at Quarter note = 220 in the following manner:
  • 8 bars of time/8 bars solo fill, 8 bars of time/8 bars of solo fill, 8 bars of time/8 bars solo fill, 8 bars of time/8 bars of solo fill… for a total of 64 bars.

NoCo Honor Jazz Band Audition Excerpts

Please click this link to download NoCo Honor Jazz Band Audition Materials.