Former Baker High School student and renowned trombonist Jay Ashby will return to Central New York along with his wife, Kim Nazarian, a vocalist with the New York Voices, when they share the limelight at Le Moyne College at a joint concert with the Jazz Band, under the direction of Joe Carello, and the Jazzuits, the vocal jazz group under the direction of Carol Jacobe. The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday evenings, May 2 and 3, in the W. Carroll Coyne Center for the Performing Arts building on the Le Moyne College Campus. Tickets can be purchased by calling 315-445-4200 or by visiting lemoyne.edu/vpa.
Ashby is a five-time Grammy Award-winning producer who has performed, toured and recorded with some of the most renowned jazz artists in the industry for over 25 years. Ashby developed a strong affinity for Brazilian jazz, which led to many years as a soloist with Astrud Gilberto, as well as arrangements, tours and recordings with a number of other Brazilian artists.
Ashby’s work as a trombonist, percussionist, arranger and producer can be heard on over 175 recordings, covering a continuum of styles. His most recent release, “Mistaken Identity” (MCG Jazz), with fellow trombonist Steve Davis, received critical acclaim, remaining on the national air-play list for an unprecedented 16 weeks and peaking at number two. Ashby conducts master classes, residencies and clinics worldwide, including annual events in Germany, Brazil and Russia. He holds degrees from Ithaca College and Duquesne University, and is currently on faculty at Oberlin Conservatory where he serves as associate professor of jazz arranging.
Nazarian is a co-founding member of the New York Voices (NYV) and has been harmonizing the world over for the past 30 years. In 2012 Nazarian was recognized as one of the top 50 most influential Armenian artists and inducted into her high school’s Hall of Fame. Along with the many recordings she has made with NYV, Nazarian is featured on Bobby McFerrin’s “VOCAbuLarieS.” She is the lead vocalist for the Latin-influenced band El Eco. Their latest CD, “Puerto de Buenos Aires” (Zoho Records), earned Album of the Year by JAZZIZ’s Mark Holston. Nazarian is the Skype/Zoom Jazz Teacher for the vocal jazz majors at Ithaca College, an artist-in-residence at Tri-C Community College (Cleveland) and a regular visiting artist at Bowling Green State University, Le Moyne College and Moon Township High School.
