Faculty

Professor Robert G. Wilson
Founder and Director, Young Jazz Artists' Music Camp

Founder and Director of The Annual Kemah Boardwalk Jazz Festival
(8th Annual -September 24, 25, 26) Producer, Annual Trinity Jazz Festival for Trinity Episcopal Church of Houston (4th Annual in February of 2005)

Nominee for 2005 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master's Fellowship for Jazz Education and Jazz Production - Nominated by the Local and National Federation of Musicians

In 2005, appointed to the Texas Commission fo the Arts in Austin for a two year term

Professor of Music, San Jacinto College-North, Bachelor of Music, The University of Texas at Austin, Master of Music, The Juliard School, New York

Has performed at the Blue Note Jazz Club in NYC, Yankee Stadium, Lincoln Center (NYC), and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (D.C.)

Has been guest soloist and clinician at Western Connecticut State University, UCLA, Texas State University, Texas Tech University, Houston High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, and Texas Southern University

Has been recorded on four commercial CD releases, including two as leader: Passing Time with the Carol Morgan Quintet and Classic Morgana

BME Degree from Texas Southern University, Director of Bands, Houston Madison High School, Director, Young Sounds of Houston Youth Jazz Ensemble

Ms. Julie Palmer
Ms. Palmer will return as Vocal Instructor at the 3rd Annual Young Jazz Artist's Music Camp.

Feature Vocalist with the University of Houston-Downtown Civic Jazz Orchestra, Guest Feature Vocalist with the Young Sounds of Houston Youth Jazz Orchestra

Julie Palmer and Alegria will be featured at the upcoming 9th Annual Kemah Boardwalk Jazz Festival.

"If ever there was proof that Texas makes 'em bigger than life, Tony Campise is it." His talent surpasses the usual saxophone player. He is virtually a master of any woodwind instrument, including the tenor and alto saxophone, piccolo, flute, and bass flute. His consummate artistry has been widely recognized by such diverse talents as Willie Nelson, Joe Henderson, Eric Johnson, Phil Woods, Billy Gibbons, and Lyle Lovett.

Campise's first professional breakthrough occurred in the mid-70's, when he was invited to play lead alto in the Stan Kenton band. After years of constant touring, Campise returned to Texas and backed a number of world class artists. A who's who list of disparate names includes: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Lyle Lovett, Arnett Cobb, Sarah Vaughan, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, Joe Henderson, and Lee Konitz. Clint Eastwood, upon recommendation from Lennie Niehaus (who wrote sound tracks for "Bird" and "Unforgiven"), became a Campise fan while in Austin filming "A Perfect World". Campise continues to lead his own band and a big band on a regular basis, plays jazz fests, does saxophone clinics currently representing Boosey & Hawkes Keilwerth saxophones and selectively records as a sideman.

Tony Campise's Once in a Blue Moon was voted for nomination as "Best Jazz Album of the Year" and "Best Instrumental Solo" by NARAS for the 1992 Grammies. The album won the Honorable Mention as "Best Jazz Album of the Year" by NAIRD. Once in a Blue Moon was in the top twenty of Billboard Jazz charts for three months, while reaching #3 on Gavin and R&R in the national radio charts. Campise's first release on the Heart Music label, First Takes, also traveled to #3 on the Gavin charts. Campise's third album, Ballads, Blues, and Bebop, was voted best album of the year by both Michael Point of The Austin American Statesman and Hilarie Grey of JazzTimes. Campise's fourth album, Ballads, Blues, Bebop and Beyond was voted one of the top ten albums of 1994 by Rick Mitchell of Request Magazine and Jay Trachtenberg of the Austin Chronicle. Campise was voted Best Horn Player and Best Jazz Band at the 1995 Austin Music Awards during South By Southwest.

"Tony Campise is genuine, and completely free of pretention. He brings distinct and original voices to every instrument that he touches. He can make his tenor subtone with the power and depth of Ben Webster, moan like Dexter Gordon, and growl and flutter-tongue into the altissimo in the tradition of Junior Walker. His alto can rip through bop changes like a hot knife through butter, soaring up to a fourth octave D that will chill your spine. Whether he's crying a melancholy melody on bass flute or singing the blues in his uniquely down-and-dirty vocal style, the effect is soulful and brilliantly original."

Lynn Seaton has had a stellar career as a jazz bassist. Born in Oklahoma in 1957, he started playing the bass at age 9. By the late 70’s he was performing around the state. From 1980 until 1984 he was the house bassist at the Blue Wisp Jazz Club in Cincinnati, accompanying big name guest soloists every week. In 1984, he joined Woody Herman and in 1985 he played with the Count Basie Orchestra. After a two-year engagement with the Basie Band, he did extended tours with Tony Bennett and George Shearing. Most of 1991 and 1992 was spent touring with Monty Alexander. Lynn spent a lot of time on the road as a member of the Jeff Hamilton Trio from 1995-1999. Since 1993, Lynn has also had a busy career free-lancing with many of the great jazz musicians from many generations, including: Toshiko Akiyoshi, Monty Alexander, Ernestine Anderson, Buck Clayton, Al Cohn, Kenny Drew Jr., Blossom Dearie, Bob Dorough, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Herb Ellis, John Fedchock, Frank Foster, Freddy Green, Tim Hagans, Jeff Hamilton, Scott Hamilton, Wynard Harper, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Marian McPartland, Jay McShann, Mark Murphy, Ken Peplowski, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jimmy Raney, Emily Remler, Diane Schuur, Maria Schneider, Bud Shank, Carol Sloane, Marvin “Smitty” Smith, Maxine Sullivan, Mel Torme, Frank Wess, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, Steve Wilson, Mark Vinci, and Teddy Wilson.

He lived in NY from 1986 until 1998. That year, he accepted an offer to teach at the world famous University of North Texas, home to one of the largest jazz programs in the world. He has performed at festivals world wide including Bern, Concord, JVC, Kool, Kyoto, Newport, North Sea, Perugia and Pori. Lynn has performed in 49 of the 50 United States and 35 foreign countries. He has performed on over 100 recordings, including the Grammy winning “Diane Schuur and the Count Basie Orchestra”, and two Grammy nominees, John Fedchock “No Nonsense” and Woody Herman “50th Anniversary”. He has three recordings as a leader, “Bassman’s Basement”, “Solo Flights”, and “Puttin’ on the Ritz”.

Camp Faculty