April 17-18: WSU jazz group hosts CD release party

Nighthawk-200PULLMAN, Wash. – Nighthawk, a Washington State University faculty jazz ensemble, has released a self-titled, debut CD on the peer-reviewed WSU Recordings label. A CD release party will start at 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 17 and 18, at Rico’s Pub, 200 E. Main St., Pullman. There is no cover charge.

Nighthawk-CD-cover
Nighthawk CD cover.

Special guest for these performances is pianist Brian Ward.

See a video about the recording at https://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=mvTyCoCSd-k
.

Nighthawk – which includes saxophonists Greg Yasinitsky and Dave Hagelganz, bassist F. David Snider and drummer David Jarvis – features hard driving, fiery saxophones and an emphasis on high energy improvisation. The group plays a mixture of originals written by members of the ensemble and jazz standards.

CDs will be available for purchase at the release party and are available from the WSU School of Music. The recording is available on iTunes, Pandora and other online sites.

Individually, the members of Nighthawk have performed with the top figures in jazz including Randy Brecker, Tom Harrell, David Friesen, Mal Waldron, GabeBaltazar, Bill Watrous, Jim Pugh and Marvin Stamm.

Nighthawk was featured in the Saxophone Journal and performed at the international conference of the Jazz Education Network and regional conferences of the College Band Directors National Association and National Association for Music Education. The ensemble has performed at WSU jazz festivals and public schools throughout the Pacific Northwest.