Home » Jazz Musicians » Kerry Marsh

Kerry Marsh

Kerry Marsh is a composer and arranger specializing in contemporary music for vocal jazz ensembles. In high demand as a commissioned arranger for many of the nation's top educational vocal and instrumental jazz ensembles, Marsh has a large and varied catalog of music performed regularly around the world. Kerry has published arrangements through UNC Jazz Press and Sound Music Publications.

Along with his wife and musical collaborator Julia Dollison, Kerry will release his highly ambitious debut album, Vertical Voices: The Music of Maria Schneider, in March 2010 through ArtistShare. Endorsed by the Grammy- winning composer herself and funded largely through fan contributions, the album features Schneider's music as written for her jazz orchestra, but with the horn parts entirely sung, and the rhythm section consisting of Frank Kimbrough, Ben Monder, Jay Anderson and Clarence Penn (all current members of The Maria Schneider Orchestra).

Since 2003, Kerry has directed the vocal jazz ensembles at Sacramento State, and in that time, his ensembles earned six Down Beat Magazine Student Music Awards, distinguishing it as one of the premiere programs in the country. The Sac State vocal jazz ensembles were invited twice to perform at conferences of the International Association for Jazz Education, and were one of fourteen winners of a national search to have a song appear on the Epic Records release: "Ben Folds - College A Cappella". Marsh then worked for Folds as a vocal arranger and background singers director on a nine-city tour in performances with major symphony orchestras, including the Boston Pops and the Washington National Symphony. Marsh is busy year-round as an adjudicator and clinician for jazz festivals and workshops and he serves as a traveling clinician and high school honor vocal jazz ensemble director for the Monterey Jazz Festival. Marsh has directed all-state jazz choirs in California, Arizona, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Wyoming and Illinois and will direct the New York All State Jazz Choir in 2010.

Kerry graduated in 2000 from the University of Kansas with a B.M.E. in Music Education and in 2003 with a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas. In Fall 2010, he will begin work toward a D.A. in Jazz Studies from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. Marsh's university training included study with Paris Rutherford, Dan Gailey, Simon Carrington, and Rosana Eckert.

Tags

152

Recording

Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh transform the music of Maria Schneider

Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh transform the music of Maria Schneider

Source: Clay Wilson

Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh have been receiving rave reviews of their first fan-funded ArtistShare project “Vertical Voices—The Music of Maria Schneider" since it's release. Featuring Maria's long time rhythm section of Frank Kimbrough, Ben Monder, Jay Anderson, and Clarence Penn, Julia and Kerry ingeniously re-create the compositions of Maria Schneider with only their voices. TJulia Dollison and Kerry Marsh have been receiving rave reviews of their first fan-funded ArtistShare project “Vertical Voices—The Music of Maria Schneider" since it's release. ...

170

Interview

Vocalists Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh Interviewed at AAJ

Vocalists Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh Interviewed at AAJ

Source: All About Jazz

It's nice when people of similar interest and ambitions come together. Nicer still, when those things form the basis of a personal relationship; a partnership that results in the ultimate collaboration--marriage. For Julia Dollison and Kerry Marsh--singers who are also heavily involved in education, heightened by their successful operation of the jazz vocal program at California State University, Sacramento--their journey is starting to extend more outside of the classroom and into projects for music fans to enjoy.

Enter their new ...

Primary Instrument

Vocals

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Vocal Jazz Program Director, Sacramento State

Photos

Music

Videos

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.