Jazz students reunite after 20 years for concert

Contact: Cara Barnes
Photo of Keith Hall.

Hall (Photo credit: keithhallmusic.com)

KALAMAZOO—Four Western Michigan University School of Music alumni will reunite as The Groov’tet for an evening of old favorites at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, in the Dalton Center Recital Hall. The concert is part of the School of Music’s Distinguished Alumni Series, and the quartet will perform original compositions from their acclaimed 1996 self-titled album.

The Groov'tet

Twenty years ago four enthusiastic jazz studies students—John Wojciechowski, Xavier Davis, Matt Hughes and Keith Hall—formed The Groov’tet. The ensemble received numerous student awards from Downbeat magazine as well as Outstanding Performance Awards at the Notre Dame Jazz Festival. The members have gone on to successful individual performing careers that have taken them around the world with a long list of jazz luminaries.

Saxophonist John Wojciechowski performs regularly in Chicago with a variety of ensembles, including The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, in addition to teaching jazz bands at St. Charles North High School in St. Charles, Illinois. Pianist Xavier Davis leads the Xavier Davis Trio and teaches at The Juilliard School in New York City. Bassist Matt Hughes has recorded and toured with jazz great Betty Carter and has worked with the Cab Calloway Orchestra. He is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Illinois. Drummer Keith Hall performs and tours the world with singer Curtis Stigers and his own trio, TRI-FI, and is on the jazz faculty at WMU.

For more information on the program or quartet, contact Keith Hall at keith@keithhallmusic.com or (201) 406-5059.