Craig Fraedrich Quintet

Craig Fraedrich, Trumpet
Born in Milwaukee in 1960, Craig's first recollection of interest in the trumpet came when he was six years old and saw Al Hirt on television with Pete Fountain. He started playing in the fifth grade in Frankfort, Illinois, but his first private lesson did not come until high school after the family moved back to Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. It was during this time that his interest in jazz flourished when for four consecutive years his high school band was chosen to perform with the Woody Herman Band as part of the annual Sister Fabian Scholarship Fund Benefit Concert. Craig received his undergraduate degree in Jazz Performance from North Texas State University and Masters Degree from Arizona State University. He has also studied at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Banff Center for the Arts. Since 1986 he has performed as a featured jazz trumpet soloist with the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble, the official jazz ensemble of The United States Army Band. He has served as enlisted musical director for the Army Blues and is currently the trumpet section leader. In addition to performing, he has written or arranged over thirty pieces for the band. Craig is a dedicated educator and has been a faculty member at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music since 1989. His duties there have included teaching Applied Jazz Trumpet, Jazz Coaching (applied jazz lessons for any instrument) Music Theory, Jazz Arranging and Composition, Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Combo and has been the director of the Jazz Ensemble since 1999. A highlight of his tenure as director was the band's 2003 tour of Senegal, West Africa. Craig has recorded four CD's as a leader and appeared on numerous others. His CD “So In Love,“ (with Dave Liebman) reached number 12 in national jazz radio play according to Billboard Magazine. He has studied improvisation with Dave Liebman, Kenny Wheeler, Chuck Marohnic, Rich Matteson, Dan Hearle, Jack Peterson, and Frank Puzzullo. Additionally, he cites the remaining faculty at the Banff Centre for the Arts (1985- Dave Holland, John Abercrombie, Don Thompson, Marvin "Smitty" Smith, and Julian Priester) as major influences. His principal trumpet teachers have included Dennis Najoom, Dr. Leonard Candelaria, Don Jacoby, Dr. Wayne Cook, Steve Kossoris, Chuck Tumlinson and Ken Van Winkle.

Tony Nalker, Piano
Tony has been the pianist with The U.S. Army Blues, the premiere jazz ensemble of the United States Army, since 1989. Before joining the service, he completed his undergraduate degree in music at James Madison University, and then went on to receive his M.A. in trombone performance from the University of Iowa. After finishing his degree at the U of I, he worked for the university as a jazz studies instructor and a staff accompanist for the dance department. Tony also composed and produced soundtracks for Iowa Public Television, and wrote a number of commissioned works for the school. Tony has continued his composition work since moving to the Washington, DC area, having had works commissioned by regional dance and theater companies. He has also co-written, and had produced, a musical adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, which in August of 2001 won 2nd prize in the American Federation of Music Clubs composition competition in the Armed Forces category. He has performed/or recorded with Charlie Haden, Urbie Green, Jimmy Knepper, Nester Torres, Jack Walrath, Paul Smoker, Jim Pugh, Ed Sarath, The Capitol Bones, and many others. While playing with The Army Blues, he has also accompanied such jazz luminaries as Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, The New York Voices, Kevin Mahogany, Jon Faddis, Phil Wilson, Bill Watrous, Carl Fontana, and Stanley Turrentine, to name a few. He is also much in demand as a studio musician having played on more than forty CD,s encompassing a wide range of styles, including three children's recordings that were among the finalists in 1999, 2000, and 2001 for Grammy awards.

Dallas Smith, Bass
After attending The Eastman School of Music, where he studied clarinet, Dallas Smith has maintained a busy and varied professional career. As a current member and solo bassist of The United States Army Blues, the premiere jazz ensemble of The United States Army, Dallas Smith has led a dual musical life. Initially a member of The Army Blues as a woodwind doubler, playing saxophone, flute and clarinet, he became equally comfortable on upright bass and electric bass. He has performed regularly for The White House, The Vice President's mansion and diplomatic functions for at least seven Presidential administrations. Dallas Smith has recorded and performed with such artists and personalities as Bob Hope, Steve Allen, Clark Terry, Patti LaBelle, Stanley Turrentine, Louis Bellson, Herbie Hancock, Arturo Sandoval and Carl Fontana. Maintaining a busy freelance schedule, Dallas can be heard on recordings for Warner Brothers, Hal Leonard, CPP Belwin, Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion.

Harold Summey, Drums
Harold Summey was the winner of the Sixth Annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition for drums in 1992. Since that time he has worked with such jazz greats as Wynton Marsalis and saxophonist Sonny Rollins. He continues to persue a busy performance schedule in addition to his current position as percussionist with The United States Army Band.

James Carroll, Alto Sax
Currently Jim is an Assistant Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at George Mason University. He holds B.M., M.M. degrees from Indiana University in saxophone and has performed with a wide range of national jazz and pop artists, including the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the Woody Herman Orchestra and Michael Jackson. Jim is also the founding conductor of the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra.

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Watch Past Performances

10/21/05: Craig Fraedrich Quintet

Led by hard-bop to post-bop trumpeter Craig Fraedrich, the quintet performs jazz standards and straight-ahead Fraedrich originals.

Craig Fraedrich Quintet

Led by hard-bop to post-bop trumpeter Craig Fraedrich, the quintet performs jazz standards and straight-ahead Fraedrich originals.

Comment, rate, and more...

8/9/04: The Craig Fraedrich Quintet

The Craig Fraedrich Quintet, led by hard bop to post-bop trumpeter Craig Fraedrich, performs jazz standards and straight-ahead Fraedrich originals.

The Craig Fraedrich Quintet

The Craig Fraedrich Quintet, led by hard bop to post-bop trumpeter Craig Fraedrich, performs jazz standards and straight-ahead Fraedrich originals.

Comment, rate, and more...

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Craig Fraedrich Quintet

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