Jazz musicians Bourcier and Gullion to perform Sept. 18 at Luther College

Sept. 12, 2008

Tom Bourcier

Jazz musicians Tom Bourcier and Tom Gullion will present a jazz recital Thursday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m. in the Noble Recital Hall of the Jenson-Noble Music Hall on the campus of Luther College.

The recital is open to the public with no charge for admission.

Luther music department faculty member and jazz pianist Bourcier and saxophonist Gullion will perform original music composed by both musicians and jazz standards by Oscar Peterson and pianist Makoto Ozone.

Bourcier met Gullion at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse where they adjudicate a high school jazz festival. The two soon were collaborators, performing frequently at events such as the Freedom Fest in Madison, Wis. and the Driftless Jazz Festival in Viroqua, Wis.

Bourcier has performed throughout the United States, Europe, South America and the Caribbean, performing with and backing up musicians and acts such as the Dirty Dozen Band, Dizzy Gillespie, Jim Schwall of the Siegal-Schwall Band, Buddy Rich, Donald O’Connor, comedian David Brenner, Debbie Reynolds, and Jack Jones.

From 1987-96 he led the Tom Bourcier Trio and later performed with the Bourcier, Julin, and Wolff ensemble that released its Live at St. Andrews” CD in 2000. He performs with singer/songwriter Robin Lee Berry on “Going Driftless,” a 2002 Red House Records retrospective of Greg Brown songs performed by female artists. His first solo piano CD, “Steps,” was released in 2002 and his “Portals” tango suite CD will be released in 2008 on the independent label 2 Moons Records.

Gullion has won international acclaim as a jazz performer and composer. In 1988, he was selected with Cedar Walton, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis for jazz trombone legend J.J. Johnson’s new quintet that made several U.S. tours.

Gullion has toured the world with various acts, playing first in New York and then moving to Spain where he performed with the Spanish jazz group Clunia on tour and for their CD “ Carpe Diem.” He also performed for several broadcast concerts, worked and recorded with the avant-garde ensemble the Baldo Martinez Quartet, and launched the Tom Gullion Trio.

He moved to Chicago in 1995, quickly became part of the jazz scene, and recorded two CDs, “Cat's Cradle” and “Greens and Blues,” with some of Chicago’s top performers, including guitarist John Moulder , bass player Rob Amster and drummers Steve Gillis and Paul Wertico.

Since 2002, Gullion has lived in Viroqua while he has honed his skills as a composer, began performing on 1920s vintage Conn saxophones, and launched Project Fourth Stream, an experimental-music duo with pianist/composer William Neil.