in life to play the piano. His extensive travel

to Asia, Europe, USA and life experience are components

of the texture of his music. His next concert will

be April 8, 17, and 24 2008 at the University of La Verne's,

Historic Founders Auditorium at 8 pm.

The formations of the musicians vary to hear

the differences in interpreting the music

on their instruments of world class level.

Make the time to come and hear these musicians

in converstion on their instruments.

Among many others one of his concerts was March 8 2002

at the University of La Verne. Debuting father/son

combination on It Doesn't Take a Masters Reed's son Ian,

ULV senior, sang and Andrew Ford's son Aaron (13) played drums.

Beverly Rupel, Board of Trusty member, Flower arrangements

ULV Choir singers Nathan Lahr, Andrea Randall,

Sarah Morales, Sara Kirk: Founders Hall Ushers

Steven Biondo, Music Department Assistant /

Event coordination: biondos@ulv.edu

Jean Yordy, ULV University Relations : yordyj@ulv.edu

Reed Gratz, Professor of Music : gratzr@ulv.edu

Dr.Scott Farthing, Director of Choral Ensemble : farthing@ulv.edu (no longer at ULV)

Melissa Negrete, ULV Housing Coordinator : negretem@ulv.edu

Bob Mathieson, Sound Engineer : mathieson@AOL.com

Udit Gratz de Lang, ULV Alumni, webphotos, sites & graphic art design: gratz@ulv.edu

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Campus Times March 15, 2002

by R. Anthony Thurman, Staff Writer

"Encore! Encore!" "Play one more!" Those were the words that the audience was shouting after the PianoFest Concert last Friday night at the University of La Verne in Founders Auditorium. ULV Professor of Music and Department Chairman Reed Gratz joined forces Friday night with Professor of Bass and Music Business Andrew Ford and Professor of Drums Bob Dominguez to form a magnificent jazz trio. With Gratz on the piano, Ford playing the guitar and Dominguez on drums, the trio combined to give the audience a perfect evening to remember.

"It was an excellent concert. We had a good turn out," said Steven Biondo, music assistant and technician of the music department. "I think jazz trio is the most pure form of jazz." No matter what age group, Gratz, Ford and Dominguez attracted an audience who had an actual appreciation for good music.

"I really appreciated and enjoyed hearing my professors play together," said senior music major Jasmine Effner. "It was great to listen to Reed Gratz's compositions and I really, liked the piece 'View From the South.' It was the best." Gratz has taught at Washington State University, University of Miami, Utrecht Conservatory in the Netherlands and is a visiting professor of music at Claremont McKenna College. He has also been awarded numerous grants such as the jazz composition grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and a research grant in African American music by the National Endowment for the Humanities, to name a few. As a pianist and keyboardist, Gratz has collaborated with famous musicians such as Herb Alpert, George Russell and William Nijholt. Gratz composed every song performed that evening, except for two, for which Duke Ellington and Keith Jarrett were the original composers. He credits many great jazz musicians to be his inspiration.

He says everyone from Ellington to the musicians he performs with are his influences. "I'm influenced by so many great jazz masters like Duke Ellington and other greats," Gratz said. "But I've studied classical music as well. I have love for European classical; I listen to everything. Everything I listen to I'm influenced by, even the people I play with I am influenced by. I'm constantly learning from the people I play with."

Ford, a ULV graduate, has worked with talents worldwide including Gladys Knight, David Crosby and Whitney Houston.

Dominguez performs regularly with the Riverside Civic Theater and in Palm Springs. He has worked on the faculties of ULV, Redlands, UC Riverside and other southern California universities. His musical resume consists of having played with John Patitucci, Russell Ferrante and Frank Sinatra. To cap off the evening, Gratz's son, Ian, provided the leading vocals to collaborate with his father and Ford's 12-year-old son, Aaron, who stepped in for Dominguez on drums, to perform Gratz's final toe-tapping composition of the night, "It Doesn't Take a Masters."

"I had a good time. I was pleased to see so many people because with a La Verne event, you never know," Gratz said. "I hope we can get back this audience next time, not just for my concerts, but for all department events. This is just one of many concert series."

The next concert will be a free faculty recital with Rachel Vetter on violin and Hao Huang on piano, at 8:00 p.m., tonight in Founders Auditorium. For further information call the Music Department office at ext. 4917.

Reference to Campus Times Archives: http://www.ulv.edu/~ctimes/031502/ae0315.htm

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