Jazz Camp Faculty
Jazz Camp Faculty
Jazz Camp Faculty
Jonathan Barnes, a native of the Baltimore area, currently performs as jazz trumpet soloist with the United States Navy Band Commodores. A member of the band since 2012, his numerous original compositions and arrangements have become a regular part of the band’s repertoire, including arrangements for Miguel Zenon and Steve Wilson. His original composition, “Mosaic,” is the title track of the Commodores’ latest studio recording. A passionate educator, Jon teaches jazz trumpet and small jazz ensembles at Rowan University. He has presented masterclasses at schools such as University of the Arts, SUNY Fredonia, Western Illinois University, as well as the Jazz Standard Discovery Program and Symphony in C’s Classroom Symphony. Prior to joining the Navy Band, Jon worked as a freelance music in New York City and Philadelphia, performing with Bernadette Peters, Simone, John Fedchock, and Dick Oatts. In addition, he recorded Multiverse with the Grammy-nominated Bobby Sanabria Big Band and can be heard on the soundtrack of Ken Burns' documentary, The Roosevelts. In his spare time, Jon photographs portraits and architecture, dabbles in carpentry, and wants to dabble in bushcraft (all this while doting on his daughter and chasing his twin boys around the house). He lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and the three aforementioned children.
Brian Betz is a guitarist, composer, and educator who resides in the Philadelphia Metro Area, performing throughout the USA with many different musical artists. Brian has 6 CD releases available on the Dreambox Media label. Brian holds two degrees from Rowan University (BM, MM) and is endorsed by GHS guitar strings. He is a two-time winner of the Betty Carter International Jazz Competition (2004, 2007) and a runner up for the 2006 Henry Mancini Jazz competition. Brian is currently on the faculty at Rowan University where he teaches jazz guitar and jazz improvisation.
Denis DiBlasio is the Executive Director of the Maynard Ferguson Institute of Jazz Studies at Rowan University, saxophonist, composer, arranger and musical director for the Institute. He is an internationally acclaimed performer, clinician, and educator for the Yamaha Music Corporation of America. He is the author of five texts on jazz improvisation and a recording artist for Encounter Records with nine CD’s under his own name. He received the Master of Music degree from the University of Miami.
Brian Betz is a guitarist, composer, and educator who resides in the Philadelphia Metro Area, performing throughout the USA with many different musical artists. Brian has 6 CD releases available on the Dreambox Media label. Brian holds two degrees from Rowan University (BM, MM) and is endorsed by GHS guitar strings. He is a two-time winner of the Betty Carter International Jazz Competition (2004, 2007) and a runner up for the 2006 Henry Mancini Jazz competition. Brian is currently on the faculty at Rowan University where he teaches jazz guitar and jazz improvisation.
Denis DiBlasio is the Executive Director of the Maynard Ferguson Institute of Jazz Studies at Rowan University, saxophonist, composer, arranger and musical director for the Institute. He is an internationally acclaimed performer, clinician, and educator for the Yamaha Music Corporation of America. He is the author of five texts on jazz improvisation and a recording artist for Encounter Records with nine CD’s under his own name. He received the Master of Music degree from the University of Miami.
Douglas Mapp (CAMP DIRECTOR) is a Professor of Jazz Studies and String Bass at Rowan University where he coordinates the small jazz ensemble program. He has performed with numerous jazz artists including Monty Alexander, Terrance Blanchard, Natalie Cole, Patti Austin, Randy Brecker, Sean Jones, Ernie Watts, Larry McKenna, Jimmy Bruno, Ray Charles, James Moody, and George Russell. He can be heard on recordings by Jeff Majors, Philip Glass, R Kelly, Lana Del Rey, The Delaware Symphony, and the Relâche Ensemble. He holds degrees from the University of the Arts and Temple University.
Jim McFalls is a twenty-one year veteran of the famed United States Army Jazz Ambassadors. As the lead and Jazz trombonist of the JAS, has performed and recorded with veritable “who’s who” of jazz luminaries including Dave Liebman, Geoff Keezer, Denis Diblasio, Ingrid Jensen, Clark Terry, Jim Ridl, Slide Hampton, Tim Hagans, Gary Thomas, Christian McBride, Ron Blake, Dave Samuels, Jeff Coffin, Carl Fontana, Jon Faddis, and Toots Thielmans. In addition to his performance schedule, Jim serves as a full-time faculty member of the Jazz and Commercial Music Studies Division at Towson University where he directs the big band and teaches jazz history and jazz trombone. Mr. McFalls is an Antoine Courtois Artist/Clinician appearing throughout the US and abroad as a performer, guest conductor and lecturer.
Dan Monaghan is one of the busiest drummers in the Philadelphia area. He has a Bachelors of Music in jazz studies from Temple University. Since then he has performed with some of the top names in jazz, including Eric Alexander, Peter Bernstein, Uri Caine, and Randy Brecker. In addition, he has recorded with Dick Oatts, Garry Dial, Joe Magnarelli, Jimmy Bruno, Elio Villafranca, Joanna Pascale, John Vanore & Abstract Truth, Larry McKenna, Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord, Norman David, Tom Tallitsch, Mike Kennedy, and many others. Dan has performed at the Mellon Jazz Festival, the East Coast Jazz Festival, the Wilmington Latino Festival, the Cremona Jazz Festival, the Blue Note, Blues Alley, Smoke, Ortlieb's Jazzhaus, Zanzibar Blue, and Chris' Jazz Cafe, among other well-known venues.
Sumi Tonooka has been called a “fierce, fascinating composer pianist” (Jazz Times), “provocative and compelling” (New York Times), and “continually inventive, original, surprising, a total delight,” (Cuadranos de Jazz, Madrid). With fifteen recordings to her name and a vast catalogue of compositions and award-winning works in genres symphonic, chamber, dance, and film, Tonooka continues to be a creative force.Most recently, Tonooka is a finalist in the Emerging Black Composers Project to compose her fourth symphonic work for the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in December 2022. She is also a 2021 recipient of the Doris Duke, Creative Inflections Grant as a co-creator with vocalist/composer, Jen Shyu for In The Green Room, a multi- disciplinary music production inspired by the stories of women in Jazz. Other recent awards include, Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works grant, (2019) and composer in residence with the South Dakota Symphony through the New Music Alive Residency, New Music USA. Her first symphonic work “Full Circle” was performed by the American Composers Orchestra in NYC in 2013. Ms. Tonooka has performed with a wide range of artists including Rufus Reid, Kenny Burrell, “Philly” Joe Jones, and David “Fathead” Newman.
Skip Spratt Originally from New England, Skip Spratt has been teaching and performing in the Philadelphia/Atlantic City area since 1985. After attending Berklee College of Music in Boston, he spent three years as a Saxophonist touring throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Since settling in New Jersey, Skip has performed with Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Aretha Franklin, Marie Osmond, Donna Summer, Frank Sinatra Jr., Bobby Caldwell, The Temptations, Jeffrey Osborne, Tommy Tune, Ben Vereen, Joel Gray, Maureen McGovern with the Ocean City Pops, The 5th Dimension as well as many others. He has also been a featured soloist in performance with jazz greats Randy Brecker, Bill Watrous and John Faddis. In 1990 he had the honor of performing for First Lady Barbara Bush and the US Senators wives in the Senate Caucus Room in Washington, DC. In addition to playing on many independent projects Skip has done jingles for KYW Radio, WPVI Channel 6, Bally’s Park Place and most recently Jefferson Navy Yard. His Television performances include appearances on Merv Griffin’s New Years Eve Show with Aretha Franklin, The Allen Thick Show in Montreal, Canada; The Iris Chacon Show in San Juan, Puerto Rico and The Variety Club Telethon in Philadelphia.