Arts on Stage: A New Hampshire Celebration

Musicians of Wall Street Jazz Ensemble

The eight members of the Musicians of Wall Street Jazz Ensemble are all members of the jazz faculty at the Concord Community Music School .  Members of the ensemble performing on April 13 are:

David Tonkin
David Tonkin (guitar) has studied jazz guitar with Ed Cory, Jay Azzolina, and Randy Roos. Chair of the Music School’s Jazz Department, he has worked with the NH Artists in the Schools Program, led workshops at the Lincoln Center Institute at Dartmouth College, and taught at UNH Manchester. He performs throughout New England as a soloist, studio musician, and as a member of Straight No Chaser. He is also the founder of the David Tonkin Group and Tonkin Toys. Tonkin performed in two sold-out performances with Straight No Chaser at the well-known New York City jazz club, The Blue Note, and at the Saratoga Jazz Festival. An active composer, his work has been heard on radio and television throughout the area.

John Faggiano
John Faggiano (percussion) trained at Acadia University and Berklee College of Music with further studies in Orff-Schulwerk at University of Lowell and in African and Afro-Latin music with Nuru. A student of Ed Nicholas, Gary Chaffee and Alan Dawson, he has performed at the Blue Note in NYC and the Saratoga and White Mountain Jazz Festivals. A member of the Musicians of Wall Street Jazz Ensemble, he is a founding member of the performance group “Applehead.” A twenty-year veteran of the band “The Knights,” John has performed shows with the Drifters as well as Gary Chaffee and Pat Metheny. He can also be heard on many recordings recently, with the Dave Tonkin Group, Steve Schuch and on Peggo and Paul’s award-winning CD, Patchwork Quilt.

Matt Langley
Matt Langley (saxophone) has studied with Lou Marini of Saturday Night Live, David Baker, Ted Dunbar, and Stan Strickland. Since 1988, he has been a member of the Charlie Kohlhase Quintet (CKQ), recording three CDs on the Accurate Label. CKQ has toured the United States extensively, performing in jazz festivals from the Boston Globe Festival to the Rutabega Jazz Jam in Knoxville, Illinois, and giving clinics, master classes and individual lessons. CKQ’s fourth CD, Dancing on my Bedpost, showed up on the top ten lists of many jazz critics in 1999 and their fifth CD is currently awaiting release on the NADA label. Matt’s recording sessions have included ones with Ron Carter, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Chris Wood, Roswell Rudd, and many others. Matt performs regularly with Tonkin Toys and teaches at the Music School.

Don Williams
Don Williams (bass) received a B.S. in Music Education at Plymouth State College, with further study in the M.F.A. program in music at the University of New Hampshire. He performs often with Raccoon Beach, Tonkin Toys, Plymouth State College Faculty Quartet, and the Loli Sterling Group. He has appeared at The Blue Note, Rainbow Room, and Saratoga Jazz Festival, and has performed with the Platters, Randy Brecker, Jack Wilkins, and Bob Guilotti. He is also on the faculty of SAU#48 and Plymouth State College.

Credit: Text from the Concord Community Music School website

Last updated: September 1, 2010