Clinicians & Guest Artists

David Wiske

A Colorado Native, Dave has been playing trombone in the Denver area for the past 40 years. He has performed with artists such as Natalie Cole, Linda Ronstadt, Frankie Valli, Rita Moreno, Marvin Hamlish, Jim Neighbors, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and the ghost bands of Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey, Nelson Riddle, and Benny Goodman. He received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Northern Colorado and spent time working on a doctoral degree in trombone performance at the University of Colorado in Boulder. Dave retired in 2018, having spent his career teaching music in Adams County District 12. Dave currently performs frequently with Denver's 'Hot Tomatoes Dance Orchestra' and 'The Radio Band'.

Jim Farrell

has been directing choirs since 1982. He retired from full-time teaching in 2019 and now freelances as a choral educator throughout the state. His career as a director includes time at GreeleyCentral High School, the University of Northern Colorado, the University of Texas at Austin, Littleton High School, and DIME-Denver at Metropolitan State University of Denver. In addition to his teaching, Jim has served as Chairman of the Colorado All State Jazz Choir, President of the Colorado International Association of Jazz Educators, and R&S Chair for the Colorado chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. His students have been selected to the Colorado All-State Choir, Colorado All-State JazzChoir, Southwest ACDA Honor Choirs and the National ACDA Honor Choirs and his choirs have been selected to perform at the Colorado Music Educators Association Conference on numerous occasions.Many of Jim’s former students have become artists and educators themselves. They are choir directors and band directors, as well as actors working in Hollywood, on Broadway, and on stage in the Colorado musical theatre scene.

Dana Landry

Dana Landry is Director of Jazz Studies and Professor of Music at the University of Northern Colorado, where he directs UNC Jazz Lab Band I and teaches jazz piano. He also serves as the Artistic Director of the UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival and Director of UNC Jazz Press. Prior to joining the faculty at UNC, Landry was the Director of Jazz Studies at Middle Tennessee State University.Under Landry’s leadership, UNC Jazz Lab Band I has been recognized by DownBeat Magazine seven of the last nine years, most recently in 2013 as “Best College Big Band.” Lab I was selected to perform at the Jazz Education Network Conference in Atlanta, Georgia in January of 2013 and toured the country of Romania during the summer of 2010. They have been invited to China in May of 2014 for a two-week tour, which will take them to five different cities where they will perform at some of the country’s major music venues.Landry has performed with Milt Jackson, Bob Brookmeyer, Bela Fleck, Dick Oatts, Ingrid Jensen, Jeff Coffin, Eddie Daniels, Don Aliquo, Rufus Reid, Clay Jenkins, Bob Mintzer, Slide Hampton, Branford Marsalis, and others. He has appeared throughout the U.S. and in Europe and Australia, and can be heard frequently in a quartet with Steve Kovalcheck, Erik Applegate, and Jim White. Dana also co-leads the Colorado Jazz Orchestra and performs frequently with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in both masterworks and pops concerts.His first release as a leader, Journey Home, was nominated for a Grammy Award. The CD, which features vibist Gary Burton, received critical acclaim and reached #20 on the Jazz Week radio airplay chart. A CD tribute to Memphis musicians, titled Memphis Skyline and featuring bassist Erik Applegate and drummer Jim White, will be released in 2014. Landry can also be heard on a number of recordings as a sideman, the most recent being Stand Up Eight, which is the debut album for Steve Owen released by OA2 Records.Landry spearheaded the implementation of the Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Arts degree programs in Jazz Studies at UNC.

Annie Booth

Annie Booth is an award-winning composer, arranger, pianist, and educator known for her clear and captivating musical voice. Her work has been recognized by numerous international organizations and she has been commissioned by leading performers and institutions across the country to compose new works. She is the co-founder and owner of Brava Jazz Publishing, the co-director of the Telluride Jazz Festival Student All-Star Ensemble, and the founder and director of the SheBop Young Women in Jazz Workshop. In Fall 2025, Annie joins the faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder Thompson Jazz Studies Program as Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies.

Her latest album with the Annie Booth Trio is Here, There and Everywhere: The Beatles Songbook (Live) (2024).

Spencer Malott

An Educator and Trombonist, Spencer has been performing and teaching for the past 10 years in the Denver area. A graduate of the University of Colorado with a degree in Music Education in 2014, Spencer has been very active both in the world of teaching and performing. For the past 8 years Spencer has been the Director of Bands both at the Middle and High school level for Englewood Schools in Englewood Colorado. Currently, Spencer serves as the Director of Jazz ensembles for Englewood High School and Middle School, teaching 4 Jazz bands and 2 Beginning Band Classes. As a professional musician Spencer is the trombonist and vocalist in the very active variety and funk band, Groove n Motion as well as a trombone section member with the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. In addition to his full time commitments, Spencer plays with many different groups in the Denver area, spanning many genres and styles. Aside from the Trombone, Spencer loves learning new instruments and can play Piano, Bass and Drum set all at a professional level which makes his teaching strategies very effective and approachable. As a vocalist Spencer has been featured with both the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra and Groove'n Motion, most recently performing the music of Mel Torme. Outside of music Spencer loves to travel with his wife and enjoy different cities and cultures around the world.

Marion Powers

Marion Powers is a six-time DownBeat Award-winning jazz vocalist whose dynamic improvisation skills, fresh and modern arranging style, and sensitive approach to songwriting keep her in high demand from coast to coast not only as a performer, but also as an educator. While heavily influenced by classic jazz singers like Billie Holiday, Carmen McRae, and Sarah Vaughan, her experiences performing with or being mentored by Christian McBride, Dianne Reeves, Marshall Gilkes, Johnaye Kendrick, and Melissa Aldana have been some of the most instrumental to her artistic development.

Marion earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Jazz Performance from the University of North Texas (UNT) where she studied under renowned vocalists and educators, Rosana Eckert and Jennifer Barnes, and spent time as lead vocalist for the Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. In 2018, Marion was the selected vocalist for The Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy Big Band, where she was mentored by Christian McBride and Dianne Reeves; and, the following year, was selected as a member of the Jazz Education Network’s Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Quintet under the mentorship of educator and pianist, Ellen Rowe, and world renowned baritone sax player, Claire Daley. Among her DownBeat Awards are Outstanding Vocalist for her performance on the UNT Jazz Singers recording of “Groovin’ Hard,” and for her direction of UNT’s vocal jazz ensemble, Avenue C.

An equally gifted teacher and performer, she served as a full-time UNT Vocal Jazz teaching fellow and, after completing her graduate coursework in 2019, was promptly hired as an adjunct voice instructor. Marion maintains a worldwide voice and piano studio and recently relocated from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to begin in-person teaching at the University of Northern Colorado. Marion is in demand as a live and studio vocalist, performing with her band regularly and recording on various projects with musicians in the area.

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