While teaching at the University of Iowa as the Visiting Professor of Trumpet, I was fortunate to head back to my alma mater (UCLA) to give a lecture/performance on the composition “Strawberry Soup” by Don Ellis. In addition to being a UCLA alum (Ellis), I also got the chance to wear his personal garb.

Here, I was invited to perform at the 2nd Annual Jazz Neo-Soul and Gospel Concert in Chicago, Illinois.

In addition to my applied obligations at UI, I got a chance to perform the “Green Hornet Theme” for about 1,000 Middle and HighSchoolers at UI’s Band-o-Rama…what a blast!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSVzGDiDox0

While on tour in China, I got an opportunity to sit in with a local band at the Shangri-La Hotel in Hong Kong.

An impromptu session of “What is Hip” with the Bellini Band at the Venetian in Macau, China