Jazz saxophonist Bob Mintzer performs April 24 at ASU

Saxophonist Bob Mintzer joins Appalachian State University’s Jazz Ensemble I for an April 24 concert in Broyhill Music Center’s Rosen Concert Hall. The performance begins at 8 p.m. Admission is free. Todd Wright conducts the jazz ensemble.

Mintzer is the guest composer during the annual Contemporary Music Festival sponsored by Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity.

The jazz ensemble will perform Maria Schneider’s “Bird Count,” Christian Ammann’s “When Later Was Now” and Bob Brookmeyer’s “Boom Boom.”

Mintzer joins the ensemble performing his compositions “Lester Jumps Out,” “Go Go,” “Runferyerlife,” “Carla” and “Each Day.”

While on campus, Mintzer share some of his big band compositions with students, and discuss the writing process, its various influences, and the relationship between composition and playing jazz.

Mintzer teachers in the Thorton School of Music at the University of Southern California. He is known in the jazz world for his work as a composer, arranger, performer, and member of the Grammy Award winning jazz band the Yellowjackets. The Bob Mintzer Big Band has been nominated for four Grammy awards and won a Grammy for best large jazz ensemble recording in 2001 with “Homage to Count Basie,” recorded on the DMP label.

A prolific composer, Mintzer has written more than 200 big band arrangements during his 34-year career. Mintzer has recorded 26 solo recordings with both big band and small jazz ensembles. His publications include four jazz etude books, a solo transcription book, a saxophone method book and four saxophone quartets. His big band arrangements have become standard repertoire for big bands all over the world.

Mintzer has recorded with Steve Winwood, James Taylor, Aretha Franklin and Queen. He has toured with Buddy Rich, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Jaco Pastorius, Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri.