Living Jazz, Live

Condition Blue is devoted to Blue Note-inspired hard-bop repertory, including works by Jackie McLean, Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, Joe Henderson, Hank Mobley, and Bobby Timmons. The group celebrates the unique hard-bop marriage of the musical styles of bebop, innovated by Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell and others, with gospel-inflected and "down-home" blues styles.

Armand Beaudoin plays bass & cello. He has worked as a sideman with several jazz greats, including Mary Lou Williams, Charlie Byrd, Mose Allison and Sheila Jordan. Presently, he enjoys working with many fine artists in the vibrant community of Champaign-Urbana. He is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois.

Jeff Helgesen, a native and resident of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, has been an active fixture in east central Illinois music circles for over thirty years. He began playing trumpet professionally in local dance bands at the age of 15, later studying music at the University of Illinois while working actively as a freelance performer and studio musician. In 1987, Helgesen accepted a position as a featured soloist with the Ray Charles Orchestra, with whom he recorded and toured internationally until late 1990. Helgesen's credits also include live performances with Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, The Manhattan Transfer, The Temptations, and the Jazz Members Big Band of Chicago.

Jeff Magby is a drummer/percussionist currently residing in Urbana, IL. He received his Bachelors Degree from Eastern Illinois University and Masters Degree from the University of Illinois, each in percussion performance. His percussion studies began in Indianapolis with instructor Richard Paul and continued with Johnny Lee Lane and Tom Siwe. Jeff can be found performing throughout the Midwest with groups such as The Impalas, Bruiser, The Virtues, Condition Blue, and the Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project. He also maintains a bust teaching schedule at Skins 'n' Tins Drum Shop in downtown Champaign, IL.

Randy Salman has worked professionally with the Indianapolis Symphony and Chamber Orchestras, David Baker, Gunther Schuller, Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Joe Williams, Bobby Shew, Jamey Aebersold and many others. He is a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and is Principal Clarinetist with the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra. Randy has performed on programs at the International Association for Jazz Education Conference and International Clarinet Association Clarinetfest. He has recorded with Clark Terry, Winds of Indiana, Chicago Jazz Orchestra (charter member), Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, Condition Blue and has participated in Educational Recordings for several music publishing companies.  He has contributed CD reviews and articles for The Clarinet and Band Director Guide journals and is a faculty member of the Indiana University Summer Clarinet Performance Workshop and the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops. Salman currently serves as Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at DePauw University, where he performs with the Faculty Woodwind Ensemble.

Michael Stryker is Assistant Professor of Jazz Piano in the School of Music at Western Illinois University. He directs big bands and coaches jazz combos, teaches Applied Jazz Piano, Class Jazz Piano, Jazz Fundamentals, Jazz History, and is a member of the Dale Hopper Faculty Jazz Sextet. He is also on the faculty of the Birch Creek Summer Music Performance Center located in Egg Harbor, Wisconsin, teaching jazz piano, coaching jazz combos, and performing with the resident faculty big band. Mr. Stryker's doctoral studies at the Eastman School of Music were completed fall of 2009 with the degree awarded spring of 2010. He began his work at Eastman in the fall of 2002 as the first full-time student in a new program, the D.M.A. in Jazz and Contemporary Media. At Eastman, he studied piano with professors Tony Caramia and Harold Danko, and jazz composition and arranging with Professor Bill Dobbins. Past degrees include a B.S. in Biology from Purdue University in 1985 and both the B.M. and M.M. in Jazz Performance from DePaul University in 1996. Previous teaching positions include Eastern Illinois University, DePaul University, and the University of California at Berkeley. He is co-leader of  Condition Blue, whose first CD, Condition Blue Live, was released January of 2007 (http://cdbaby.com/cd/conditionblue). He can also be heard on Roots and Branches (http://www.jazzexcursionrecords.com) with the Shirantha Beddage Quartet, and regularly performs with the Todd Kelly Quintet and many other fine musicians throughout Illinois. Recent travels have taken him to Butler University and Arizona State University for residencies, and his trio with Marlene Rosenberg (bass) and Bob Rummage (drums) was among the featured artists on the 2010 Al Sears Jazz Festival. Mr. Stryker has also performed with Freddie Hubbard, Jim Snidero, Robin Eubanks, James Moody, John Fedchock, Kim Richmond, Clay Jenkins, Gary Foster, Bob Mintzer, and Joshua Breakstone.

Mark Buselli, trumpet & flugelhorn

Rob Dixon, saxophones

Steve Allee, piano

Frank Smith, bass

Greg Artry, drums

Photo: Larry Ladig

Mark Buselli is Director of Jazz Studies at Ball State University. On a recent tour to St. Petersburg Russia he was the first American jazz musician to play on the same stage where Tchaikovsky premiered his Nutcracker Suite.

Buselli's awards include a 2010 Dean's creative vision award from Ball State University, Creative Renewal grant from the Indianapolis Arts Counci in 2005, a teacher of the year award in 2004 at Butler University and a Creative Vision award from NUVO in May of 2007.

Buselli has over forty arrangements published for big bands, brass ensemble, and piano/trumpet. He has six recordings out as a leader on the Owlstudios and OA2 record labels. As a writer Mr. Buselli has been commissioned by Hendrick Meurkins, the American Pianists Association, The Indianapolis Brass Choir and Western Michigan University. He has performed with artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Slide Hampton, Jimmy Heath, Slam Stewart to Natalie Cole, Vic Damone and Ben Vereen. He has played for former presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Buselli currently serves as Education Director of the Buselli-Wallerab Jazz Orchestra in Indianapolis where he has created numerous educational opportunities for over six thousand students. He is sponsored as an endorsing performing artist by Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Mr. Buselli graduated from Berklee School of music in Boston and received his MM in Jazz studies from Indiana University. While at Indiana he was awarded a Performers Certificate. Mark is married to Andrea, a former ballet dancer turned Physical Therapist. They have a daughter named Soph

Ned Boyd, woodwinds

Lynn Colwell, bass

Judd Danby, piano

Don Nichols, percussion

The InterPlay quartet was co-founded by its members to explore jazz standards, more recent popular songs, spontaneous group improvisations and original works with a sense of musical adventure and discovery.

Ned Boyd is active as a performer and educator, and appears regularly with the poll-winning Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, the Steve Allee Big Band, the Judd Danby Quartet, Los Blancos Latin Jazz Band, and as a leader of his own quartet.

Lynn Colwell has performed frequently with the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra, the Lafayette Citizens Band, The Tony Zamora Jazz Ensemble, the Emporium Dixieland Band, the Danny Weiss Quartet, the Judd Danby quartet, and Los Blancos Latin Jazz Band.

Judd Danby is active as a composer, performer and educator. His concert works have been performed in venues across the US, and as a jazz pianist he preforms regularly with his quartet, with InterPlay, Los Blancos Latin Jazz Band, the Randy Salman Quartet, and other jazz ensembles throughout central Indiana.

Don Nichols is active as a percussionist, composer and improviser. He has performed and collaborated with such diverse artists as Max Roach, Roger Reynolds, Evelyn Glennie, Daniel Barenboim, the Martha Graham Dance Company, John Luther Adams, and as co-founder of PMPD, a dance/sound duo with choreographer Rebecca Bryant. In the Lafayette area he performs regularly with the Danny Weiss Quartet and the Judd Danby Quartet.

Danny Weiss, woodwinds

Scott Pazera, guitar

Lynn Colwell, bass

Don Nichols, percussion

The Danny Weiss Quartet is an eclectic jazz ensemble combining the best of early and modern jazz – from Coleman Hawkins to Ornette Coleman and beyond. The group is a staple of the Northern Indiana jazz scene. Its members have performed in clubs and concert halls throughout the world. Here & Now, their latest release on CoHEARence Records, well documents the group’s exciting sound.

Quartet leader Danny Weiss plays woodwinds, composes, and occasionally sings. Currently living in West Lafayette, IN, Weiss spent many years in New York and Chicago. He has performed with the avant-guard nonet, DaDaDah, the brass jazz ensemble, NoNoNonet, New York dance choreographers, Latin jazz bands, and Broadway show bands. Weiss has also performed with such jazz celebrities as Rashied Ali, Tom Varner, Joe Williams, Chris Washburne, Michael Sarin, Lynn Arriel, Clyde Stubblefield, and Don Braden at venues including the Jazz Showcase, the Green Mill, Birdland, CBGBs, the West End Gate, PS 122, Jay’s, the Knitting Factory, and the Bitter End.

Steve Allee, piano

Jeremy Allen, bass

Steve Houghton, drums

"As a pianist, Steve Allee is world-class and definitely demands respect from all who hear him perform."
— Rufus Reid, internationally renowned bassist and composer

 "Allee, a veteran pianist hailing from Indiana, veers between Latin vamps and the perkier side of Bill Evans' oeuvre."
— JAZZWISE MAGAZINE (London)

"He works beautifully within a wide range of styles and idioms; Traditional Swinging Big Band, Jazz-Fusion, and his very original and innovative composition-orchestra style."
— Gary Campbell, saxophonist; Miroslav Vitous Group

Ned Boyd, saxophones

Jamie Newman, keyboard

Rich Cohen, alto sax

Scott Pazera, bass/composer

Mike Stricklin, saxophones

Rich Dole, trombone

Kenny Phelps, drums