Westminster Conservatory Presents Jazz Concert at Rider University May 6

The jazz faculty of Westminster Conservatory will perform original jazz music and arrangements Saturday, May 6 at 8:00 p.m. at the Rider University Art Gallery in the Bart Luedeke Center, on the Rider University campus, Route 206 in Lawrenceville.

Performers will include Tara Buzash on piano and keyboard, Ben Cahill on electric bass, Warren Gramm on electric guitar, Tom Hyland on drums, Flora Newberry on trumpet and vocals, Steve Rozek on tenor saxophone, Heather Teffenhart on violin and viola, and Kevin Willois on flute and triangle.

Tara Buzash is artistic director and organizer for the Westminster jazz faculty concerts.  Three of her works will be performed on May 6: “Steve’s Song,” an original composition about the rich character of her husband; “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” a jazz arrangement of The Charlie Daniels Band’s country hit; and “Hey Jude,” a surprising jazz-rock interpretation of well known The Beatles’ hit.

The evening will also include Ben Cahill’s funk grooves inspired by the work of Austrian jazz pianist Josef Zawinul; a sultry bossa nova that Kevin Willois adapted from a Hector Villa-Lobos piece; a jazz waltz with lyrics penned and sung by Flora Newberry, with music written by her teacher, the great jazz bassist Rufus Reid; and more.

Most of the performers are on the faculty at Westminster Conservatory, the community music school of Westminster Choir College of Rider University. 

Admission to this concert is free.  For more information, please call the Westminster box office at 609-921-2663