Ben Markley Big Band to Release CLOCKWISE: THE MUSIC OF CEDAR WALTON This Month

Ben Markley Big Band will release "Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton," featuring Terell Stafford, on February 17. For more information, visit www.benmarkleymusic.com.

"Ben has found a way to embrace the music of Cedar Walton and transform it into stellar big band arrangements that express his voice, sound and musical genius," said Terell Stafford.

Ben Markley, a jazz pianist, has performed with Brian Lynch, Greg Osby, Eddie Henderson, Terell Stafford, George Garzone, and John Fedchock. Markley's latest recording project is Clockwise: The Music of Cedar Walton (OA2 records).

Markley is active as a composer and arranger with many big band and vocal jazz charts published through UNC Jazz Press. Recent arranging commissions include the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia and Wyoming Jazz Educators All-State Jazz Band.

Compositions from Markley's first two albums have earned him ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Awards. Markley was selected to participate in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program held at the Kennedy Center.

Markley's book A Practical Approach to Improvisation - The David Hazeltine Method was published by Jamey Aebersold Jazz in December of 2014. It documents David Hazeltine's process of creating etudes from transcriptions.

Markley is an active performer in the Denver-metropolitan area and along the front range. He can be seen regularly at in Ft. Collins as part of the Subterranean jazz trio at Ace Gillett's Lounge.

Markley currently serves as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Wyoming where he directs and coaches the Wyoming Jazz Ensemble, Western Blue (vocal jazz), and combos. He also teaches applied jazz piano, improvisation and is the director of the UW Jazz Festival.

Upcoming Performances:

March 24 University of Wyoming Jazz Festival
March 25 Dazzle Jazz Club Denver

Personnel:
Saxes: Wil Swindler/Scott Turpen/Peter Sommer/Serafin Sanchez/Sam Williams
Trombones: Scott Crump/Paul McKee/Adam Bartczak/Gary Mayne
Trumpets: Peter Olstad/Greg Gisbert/John Lake/Terell Stafford
Rhythm: Ben Markley (piano), Steve Kovalcheck (guitar), Ken Walker (bass), Chris Smith (drums)

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