Bios
RODNEY JONES
Rodney Jones is among the most recorded guitarists in history having played on countless recordings for CD, Television, the Broadway Theatre and Film. His 9 recordings as a leader paint a picture of a master craftsman of the art of jazz guitar playing. Hailed by guitar master George Benson as, "a legend among musicians," Rodney Jones continues to push the boundaries of modern jazz guitar playing while at the same time working with many of the Pop legends of our time (Madonna, Stevie Wonder,Indigo Girls, Robert Palmer, Phil Collins, The Indigo Girls, Destiny’s Child), R&B (Chaka Kahn, Lauren Hill, De La Soul, Maceo Parker, James Brown, Brandy, Queen Latifah), Blues (Ruth Brown, Carla Thomas, Albert Collins), and Jazz Artists (Dizzy Gillespie, Arthur Blythe, Donald Harrison, Hank Jones, Milt Jackson, Joe Henderson, Quincy Jones, Roy Eldridge, The Manhattan Transfer, George Wein, Bill Cosby, Jimmy Smith, Jane Monheit, Charles Brown, Hamiett Bluiett, Donald Harrison, etc).

CARL ALLEN
Performances with Freddie Hubbard, James Moody, and Michael Brecker. Recordings with Terence Blanchard, Joe Henderson, Vincent Herring, Lena Horne, and Eric Reed. Carl has a very active career as he continues to tour, produce recordings, record as an artist, and teach workshops and masterclasses all over the world.





BEN WOLFE
Has worked with Woody Shaw, Junior Cook, Jimmy Cobb, Dakota Staton, and the Mel Lewis Orchestra. Recorded more than a dozen albums and soundtracks and performed on many tours with Harry Connick Jr. Member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet until the group disbanded. Has recorded three CDs of his own compositions and arrangements.

BENNY GREEN
Benny joined Betty Carter’s band in April 1983 and began a four-year stint of performing, recording and learning with jazz’s most respected vocalist. The piano chair in Art Blakey’s prestigious Jazz Messengers followed, as well as a year with the Freddie Hubbard Quintet in 1989. By 1990, Green had already led a couple of blowing dates on the Criss Cross label, but it was with his Blue Note Records debut, Lineage, that he really came of age, earning international respect and a reputation as one of the label’s most exciting new starts. Green joined Ray Brown’s Trio in 1992. He teamed up with legendary pianist Oscar Peterson for 1998’s masterly Oscar and Benny.



RICH DIXON
Rich Dixon is perhaps the most captivating guitarist in Utah and, by profession, is a studio musician who records heavily for Television, Radio, Video, Movies, etc., including recording for the legendary "Donny and Marie Show" here in Utah.  Mr. Dixon has earned "Studio Musician of Year" several times over in Utah, has performed extensively internationally, and is a leading voice nation wide with regards to modern jazz guitar.

 

SCOTT WILSON
Scott Wilson is the founder of the on-line Jazz Education Store and is the current Director of Jazz Studies at Snow College.  Wilson is an alumnus of the world renowned University of North Texas where he taught courses in jazz theory and composed for & performed in the international acclaimed One O'Clock Lab Band. Scott Wilson's jazz theory text books and jazz flash cards have been used by the International Association of Jazz Educators for their national jazz education clinics. Wilson is an active international performer and clinician and in 2005 served as the Musical Director for Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan.  Wilson’s on-line Jazz Education Store is located at:   http://www.jazz-studies.com. 




COREY CHRISTIANSEN
Widely heralded as a gifted young player with a passionate sound, jazz-guitarist Corey Christiansen took up the instrument at the age of five under the direction of his father, Mike Christiansen, Chairman of Guitar Studies at Utah State University. Corey earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Utah State and a master’s degree in jazz performance from the University of South Florida. In November 2006 Mel Bay Records released MB3 / Jazz Hits / Volume One, a guitar-trio CD featuring Corey, Vic, and fellow Mel Bay guitarist Jimmy Bruno, with Danny Gottlieb on drums and Jay Anderson on bass. This recording spent three weeks in January 2007 as the #1 jazz recording on jazz radio in North America. Corey has played or recorded with an impressive roster of artists, including John Pisano, Andy Summers, Willie Akins, Chuck Red, Rob McConnel, Sid Jacobs, Jack Wilkins, Bruce Saunders, Randy Johnston, Phil DeGreg, Steve Davis, Shelly Berg, Terreon Gully, Chuck Owen, Frank Vignola, Tom Kennedy, and Anthony Wilson. Corey served as senior editor for Mel Bay Publications from 2000 to 2007 and has written or co-written more than 70 books for the company. Along with maintaining an active international performance and touring schedule Corey is the Director of Curriculum at The Music School in American Fork, UT.