Cal State University Jazz Studies Audition/Admission Processes Panel

Tina Raymond

Tina Raymond is an accomplished drummer and educator based in Los Angeles, CA. A unique voice in the contemporary improvised music scene, Raymond blends traditional jazz vocabulary with African polyrhythm and classical percussion technique. Brian Zimmerman of DownBeat Magazine writes,

“Raymond displays ferocious chops and a remarkable sense of balance.”

She has toured the US, Europe, and Asia as both a leader and a sideperson.

Raymond’s 2023 acclaimed release, Divinations (Imani Records), showcases the first-call Los Angeles drummer in a groove-centric, melody-drenched context that may surprise admirers of the more abstract tonal personality she’s documented with SoCal avant luminaries like Bobby Bradford, Vinny Golia, Eric Revis, and Dan Rosenboom. She has also contributed to two albums with the eclectic Esthesis Quartet.

Other recent releases as a sideperson include Rachel Eckroth’s Live at Sam First (Sam First Records, 2023), Boom Sessions Volume III with Dan Rosenboom, Gary Fukushima, and Eric Revis (Orenda, 2022), Kuba Stankiewicz’s Music of Roman Statkowski (Warner Music Poland, 2021), and Bobby Bradford’s Stealin’ Home (NoBusiness Records, 2021).

On her debut album, Left, Right, Left (Orenda, 2017), Raymond explores America’s polarized politics through a set of patriotic hymns, folk songs, protest anthems, and music by Woody Guthrie, Joni Mitchell, and Joan Baez. Her thesis suggests that concepts of “left” and “right” are integral to understanding both drumming technique and American political discourse.

An Associate Professor, Raymond is the Director of Jazz Studies at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Before her appointment at CSUN, she was tenured faculty at Los Angeles City College in Hollywood, CA. She received a DownBeat Educator Achievement Award (2020) and currently serves as President of the California Alliance for Jazz.

Raymond has presented globally, with teaching credits that include Jazz Institut Berlin, Engelsholm Winter Jazz, University of Gothenburg, Indiana University, Northern Colorado University, University of Nevada, Reno, University of Oregon, Willamette University, University of Kansas, University of Michigan, Loyola University New Orleans, Portland State University, Bard College, Idyllwild Arts, and more.

She earned an M.F.A. in Jazz (drum set) from CalArts in 2010 and a B.M. in double performance (classical percussion and jazz studies) from the University of Cincinnati’s CCM in 2008.

For more information about Tina, visit tinaraymond.com.

Richard Lloyd Giddens Jr.

Richard Lloyd Giddens Jr. is the Director of Jazz Studies at Fresno State. Giddens moved from Fresno, CA to New York City at the age of 17 after receiving a full scholarship to the Jazz and Contemporary Music Program at The New School for Social Research. It was there where he studied with Reggie Workman, Doug Weiss, Joe Chambers, Hal Galper, and Larry Grenadier. In 2000 he put his education on hold to accept national tours with various bands as well as with the Off-Broadway show STOMP. After many years on the road, he decided to again focus on his education, earning his BFA (2007) and MFA (2009) from California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA. It was at CalArts where Giddens studied with and was mentored by the world-renowned bassist and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Charlie Haden.

As a member of Los Angeles based band Burning Ghosts, Giddens has been a headlining act at such international jazz festivals as Jazz em Agosto (Lisbon, Portugal), Saalfelden Jazz Festival (Austria), and the Angel City Jazz Festival (Los Angeles, CA).

Giddens has recorded and performed throughout the world with such artists as Charlie Haden, Wadada Leo Smith, Sara Gazarek, Robert Glasper, Oscar Hernandez, Mary Halvorson, Ravi Coltrane, Larry Goldings, Walter Smith III, Ralph Alessi, Gilbert Castellanos, Ideal Bread, Taylor Ho Bynum, Ben Wendel, and many others. Giddens is a Tzadik, and Orenda Records recording artist.  You can hear Giddens on Daniel Rosenboom’s latest project “The Boom Sessions” featuring Joshua White, and Mark Ferber as well as is his debut album “Mimosas” at the Orenda Records website. https://orendarecords.com/richard-lloyd-giddens-jr/

Giddens is a 2018 California Arts Council grant recipient.

Jeff Jarvis

Jeff Jarvis comes from a family of music educators and has distinguished himself as a trumpeter, composer, professor and music publisher.  Jeff is an S.E. Shires trumpet artist and has served as Director of Jazz Studies at the Bob Cole Conservatory at California State University Long Beach since 2005.  As a trumpet soloist, adjudicator and clinician, Jeff makes frequent appearances at educational jazz festivals, jazz camps, and music education conferences.  Jeff Jarvis composes commissions for school, military, and professional big bands and pops orchestras.  He has composed and/or arranged over 175 published works for Kendor Music, Belwin Jazz, iJazzMusic, and UNC Jazz Press.  He co-authored The Jazz Educators Handbook with Doug Beach (which is also translated in Japanese), The Chord Voicing Handbook with Matt Harris, and Effective Etudes For Jazz, Volumes 1 & 2 with Mike Carubia.  As a conductor, Jeff has led honors jazz ensembles in 39 states and 4 Canadian provinces.  He is a Past President of the California Alliance for Jazz, served as Vice-President of the International Association for Jazz Education, Music Director of the Central New York Jazz Orchestra from 1998-2005, and was co-owner of Kendor Music Publishing from 1985-2015.  Jarvis is a member of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers and is a Gold Medal winner in the Global Music Awards, an international arts organization that recognized him in 2019 with a special award for “Lifetime Contributions to Jazz and Jazz Education”.

Jeff’s solo recordings as a jazz trumpeter and composer have won critical acclaim and placed high on national air play charts.  His early career as a studio trumpeter encompasses over 100 R&B and disco recordings for such names as Lou Rawls, Michael Jackson, Melba Moore, The O’Jays and more.  Live performance credits include Gladys Knight, Van Morrison, Dizzy Gillespie, Louie Bellson, Joe Williams, Benny Golson, Jon Hendricks, Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Henry Mancini, Slide Hampton, Kevin Mahogany, Grady Tate, Eddie Daniels, Rob McConnell, and Doc Severinsen.

Jeff has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and Indonesia.  He has been a featured guest soloist with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Denver Symphony Orchestra, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, USAF Airmen of Note, US Army Jazz Ambassadors, US Army Blues, Jazz Knights of the United States Military Academy Band at West Point, USAF Commanders Jazz Band, USAF Shades of Blue, Riverside Jazz Orchestra, Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Oslo Big Band (Norway), Frank Mantooth Jazz Orchestra, Tom Kubis Big Band and more.

Gaw Vang Williams

Gaw Vang Williams is a vocalist and educator native to Sacramento, California. She became the director of the vocal jazz program at Sacramento State in 2014, where she earned her Bachelor of Music in jazz studies and Master of Music in voice performance. She began teaching in 2004, serving as a music instructor at various high schools and music organizations.

Williams is an active private music instructor and is sought after as a clinician and adjudicator for festivals and workshops throughout the United States. She currently serves as the President of CAJ (California Alliance for Jazz) and is the vocal jazz traveling clinician for the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Williams was a member of the Sacramento Mandarins from 2004–2006 and a member of the 2007 world champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. She performs at numerous venues throughout Northern California, with professional appearances as an assisting artist including live performances with Nancy King, New York Voices, Ben Folds, and the San Francisco Symphony.

Under Williams’ direction, the Sac State Vocal Jazz program has won 13 Downbeat Magazine Student Awards. In addition, the Sac State vocal jazz ensembles took first place multiple times at the Next Generation Monterey Jazz Festival in the collegiate vocal jazz ensemble category and were invited to perform at the world-renowned Monterey Jazz Festival. The vocal jazz ensembles also performed at the JEN (Jazz Education Network) National Conference, ACDA National Conference, CCDA Conference, and CASMEC.

Williams is the new band director at Folsom High School, where she teaches marching band, advanced jazz band, intermediate jazz band, jazz choir, and orchestra. She is also the co-founder of Live Performing Arts Academy, a non-profit music organization providing music education and experiences for students in need.