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BERT LIGON is director of jazz studies at the University of South Carolina. He received his Bachelor of Music and his Master of Music in jazz piano performance and arranging from the University of North Texas. He toured with the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra, and has performed with Chris Potter, Red Rodney, Randy Brecker, Marion McPartland, Mel Torme, Dianne Schuur, Dianne Reeves, Johnny Frigo and others. Ligon has published three books , Jazz Theory Resources Vol. 1 & 2, Connecting Chords with Linear Harmony, and Comprehensive Technique for the Jazz Musician. Ligon has published several original compositions and arrangements for big band, jazz orchestra, and steel drum ensembles. He composed extensively in the Radio/TV/film industry receiving many awards including national PBS awards and an EMMY nomination. Ligon has been president of the South Carolina IAJE and chair of the jazz committee of the South Carolina Band Directors Association.

Ligon has presented several clinics and concerts at IAJE, ASTA, and SCMEA conferences. He has taught jazz improvisation, guitar, piano, conducted jazz string orchestras at Suzuki Institute [Suzuki Photos] and the Mark O'Connor Fiddle conferences [Fiddle Conference Photos], and Christian Howes' Creative Strings Workshop [Creative Strings Photos].

At USC, Ligon coordinates the jazz combos and big bands, jazz strings, teaches jazz theory, jazz improvisation, arranging, and applied jazz lessons. Ligon plays piano, guitar, third base.

Bert Ligon is available for jazz improvisation clinics and workshops for jazz string ensembles.

For more information e-mail Bert Ligon at

Phone: 803.777.6565/803.777.4280

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BERT LIGON

CRAIG BUTTERFIELD is a bassist, composer, and arranger. Comfortable in many styles of music, Mr. Butterfield has toured extensively as a jazz artist as well as a classical soloist and clinician. During 2004 and 2005, Craig toured with the legendary jazz trumpet player Maynard Ferguson. As a member of Ferguson's Big Bop Nouveau band, he performed in some of the most famous venues in the world, including the Blue Note in New York, Ronnie Scott's in London, the Kungstradgarden in Sweden, and the Bangkok Cultural Arts center as a special guest of the King of Thailand. A week at Ronnie Scott's in London in August 2005 was recorded for a forthcoming live CD. Craig has been active in the studio as well, appearing on several jazz CDs as both a performer and as a producer. In the classical field, Craig Butterfield has given masterclasses and recitals as a soloist in several universities. He has been invited twice to perform recitals at the semiannual International Society of Bassists convention. His many compositions and arrangements include works for bass quartet, jazz string ensemble, solo double bass, and percussion ensemble. At USC, Butterfield works with the jazz combos, jazz strings teaches jazz improvisation, applied bass, and works with strings methods classes.

to contact Craig Butterfield:

Phone: 803.777.4324/803.777.4280

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KEVIN JONES: A native of Charleston, S.C., multi-instrumentalist Kevin Jones studied music theory and composition with Elliott Carter, Fred Teuber and Sam Douglas. He has toured with James Brown, Les DeMerle, Ringling Bros. Circus, and been a featured artist for Princess Cruise Lines. He has performed with the S.C. Philharmonic (on saxophone and trombone), as well as with the Temptations, David Sanborn, Bucky Pizzarelli, Aretha Franklin, Kenny Loggins, Burt Bacharach and Barry Manilow. Locally he performs with the Dick Goodwin Quintet and Big Band, the Jazz Guitar Summit (on bass), and Ross Holmes. As an educator and clinician, Mr. Jones has given clinics and master classes in the Richland 1,2, Rock Hill, York, Aiken County, Chester County, Newberry, Clover, Lexington 1 and Thomson (Ga.) School Districts.

For more information e-mail Kevin Jones at

KEVIN JONES

JENNA McSWAIN is an adjunct teacher with USC Jazz. McSwain earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the USC and her Master of Music degree from the University of Northern Colorado. At UNC, she taught a vocal jazz ensemble and a jazz combo and held administrative duties in the school's jazz library and in the office of community arts. She sang in UNC's premiere vocal jazz ensemble, The Northern Colorado Voices and played piano in the Afro Cuban jazz ensemble.
McSwain had become a staple of the Columbia jazz scene, leading the house band at one of Columbia's most prominent jazz clubs,The Blue Martini, and has now returned to the Columbia area.
As a vocalist and pianist, McSwain has performed in clinics and concerts with Marian McPartland, Mundell Lowe, Kerry Marsh, Julia Dollison, Paul McKee, Bert Ligon, Craig Butterfield and more. As a member of the Northern Colorado Voices, she has opened for Patti Austin and for the New York Voices. She has been on the faculty of the University of Minnesota Morris Summer Jazz Experience for two consecutive years, and enjoys maintaining a studio of voice and piano students. Featuring a repertoire of jazz standards, Brazilian classics, blues and pop, her band plays concerts, festivals and private functions at the regional and national level.
McSwain directs the USC's Carolina Alive jazz vocal ensemble.

Jenna is a natural talent with a captivaion on-stage presence. In both her voice and piano, she has a technical mastery and expression that blend create satisfying, emotion-filled experiences for a range of audiences.
-Robert Percival, Owner, Blue Martini Jazz Club

For more information e-mail Jenna McSwain at

JENNA McSWAIN