In Person Faculty
These are the folks that you'll be working with all four days at JazzWire Summer Summit in Washington DC. They will be teaching the small combos, electives, masterclasses, and playing concerts.
Jeff Antoniuk
Saxophone, Artistic Director
Saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk is a beloved jazz educator, and his widely popular "Digging Deeper Jazz" YouTube channel has upwards of 2,000,000 views. DDJ was pivotal in helping Jeff launch JazzWire.net, one of the most cutting edge jazz education platforms for adult players in the world. Jeff is the Artistic Director of JazzWire, where he serves students from over 25 different countries.
A dedicated teaching artist, Antoniuk has been a featured performer and educator at numerous festivals, including Juneau Jazz & Classics, The Jazz Educator Network (JEN) Annual Convention, the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, the International Saxophone Symposium, MacEwan Summer Jazz, and at The White House. He is the founder and artistic director of Maryland Summer (and Winter) Jazz, and directs Jazz Band Masterclass in the Washington DC area.
An internationally respected jazz composer and musician, Jeff’s recordings, including “Flow" with Helluvaband and "Brotherhood" and "Here Today" with The Jazz Update have been lauded by jazz critics around the world. Antoniuk has shared the stage with masters including Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Jimmy Haslip, Najee and Marcus Miller. He's also worked with Canadian greats PJ Perry, Senator Tommy Banks, big band leader Rob McConnell, pop icon David Foster and trumpet sensation Ingrid Jensen. In 2017, Jeff was the featured soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the world premier of their "Swingin' Nutcracker," a jazz reinvention of the 25 movement Tchaikovsky classic.
A dedicated teaching artist, Antoniuk has been a featured performer and educator at numerous festivals, including Juneau Jazz & Classics, The Jazz Educator Network (JEN) Annual Convention, the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, the International Saxophone Symposium, MacEwan Summer Jazz, and at The White House. He is the founder and artistic director of Maryland Summer Jazz, and directs two other adult music programs in the USA: Jazz Band Masterclass and the Capital City Voices. In 2018, Antoniuk launched Jazz Wire, the global home for adult amateur and semipro jazz musicians.
Amy Shook
Bass
Amy Shook is one of the most in-demand acoustic bassists in the mid-Atlantic, coveted for her huge sound and infectious, driving groove. In addition to being a premier performing and recording artist, and a multi-instrumentalist (acoustic bass, electric bass, violin, viola, and cello), she is an accomplished composer, and her personality truly comes through in her writing. Amy co-leads the all-women powerhouse trio the 3D Jazz Trio (3Divas), with drummer Sherrie Maricle and pianist Jackie Warren. 3D is the super-swingin’ trio that sparked the fire that ignited the award-winning show Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life, described by the New York Times as “blistering hot.” In 2017, 3D’s eagerly awaited debut CD, simply titled 3Divas, was met with widespread critical acclaim. Both of 3D’s 2020 recordings, I Love To See You Smile, (released in April 2020), and Christmas in 3D (released October 2020) were recorded at Red Rock Recording Studio in Saylorsburg, PA. Both albums received widespread critical acclaim, with I Love To See You Smile landing a four-star review in Downbeat Magazine and inclusion on Downbeat’s year end “Best of 2020 albums,” and a ranking of #10 overall on RMR’s “Top Jazz Album Chart 2020,” as well as in the top 50 of “Top Albums of 2020” on the NACC year end chart. Christmas in 3D was featured first in line in the New York Times “20 Albums That Put a New Spin on the Holidays,” and Ranked #4 overall with Christmas in 3D on RMR’s Top Holiday Album Chart for the Year of 2020, peaking at #1.
Sherrie Maricle
Drums
From the drum set Sherrie leads The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, her quintet FIVE PLAY and co-leads the 3Divas. From Carnegie Hall, she performs with The New York Pops and from celebrated stages everywhere, she is music director and drummer for Broadway star Maurice Hines. Sherrie is also a busy freelance performer and a published composer/arranger. The DIVA Jazz Orchestra’s 25th Anniversary Project (2018, ArtistShare) is the band’s most recent Cd, featuring original music composed by band members. With her bands Sherrie has performed at many of the world’s most acclaimed music venues and festivals; from Lincoln Center to the Kennedy Center and the Hollywood Bowl, to Jazz Festivals in Europe, Japan, Israel and beyond. Additionally, DIVA was featured on CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood, on TCM’s televised broadcast of the 25th Anniversary of the Kennedy Center and NHK Japan’s New York Jazz. Sherrie has received several awards and honors, including the New York City Music Educator’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education. As an educator, Sherrie runs a private drum set and percussion studio. She is also a clinician for Yamaha Drums, Sabian Cymbals, Aquarian Drum Heads and Vic Firth Drum Sticks. After earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1985 from Binghamton University Sherrie moved to New York City and attended New York University, where she completed a Masters of Arts in Jazz Performance in 1986 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Jazz Performance/Composition in 2000.
Jackie Warren
Piano
A native of Colorado, pianist Jackie Warren originally came to Ohio upon the recommendations of her teachers Patricia Warren, Myra Boitos, Charles Day, and Steve Barta to study piano at Oberlin Conservatory with Sedmara Zakarian Rutstein, where she graduated with a B.M. in classical performance. While at Oberlin, she also studied jazz arranging, composition, and theory with Wendell Logan, who became a mentor to her, and encouraged her to study jazz piano with Neal Creque and jazz improvisation with Kenny Davis. Jackie received a M.M. from Cleveland State University in classical piano performance, studying with Andrius Kuprevicius and Daniel Barber, and continued her lessons with Creque. Jackie performs regularly as a soloist, but has her own jazz trio, which includes bassist Peter Dominguez and drummer Ron Godale. She also arranges and plays salsa and Latin jazz with percussionist Sammy Deleon y su orquesta. Most recently, Jackie began working with Sherrie Maricle and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, backing up Maurice Hines’ TAPPIN’ THRU LIFE at the Cleveland Playhouse. She has been travelling with the show ever since, continuing on to more critically acclaimed performances in Wilmington at the Delaware Theatre Company, Off-Broadway at New World Stages in New York, and at Penn’s Landing Playhouse in Philadelphia, and a live webcast concert version of the show at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. They also filmed a TV version of the show live at the Katharine Hepburn Performing Arts Center in Old Saybrook, CT, for The Kate TV series’ second season. During the course of these shows, the rhythm section, consisting of Jackie, Sherrie Maricle, and Amy Shook decided to form their own group, and the powerhouse trio 3Divas was born.
Kenny Rittenhouse
Trumpet
Kenny Rittenhouse received a Bachelor’s Degree in music from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1988 and a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the University of Maryland in 2006. He also did graduate work on trumpet and in jazz at the Eastman School of Music, and at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. Mr. Rittenhouse was a member of The United States Army Band (Pershing’s Own) in Washington, DC from 1990-2020
He performed with The U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble and has shared the stage alongside Ernie Andrews, Kevin Mahogany, Lou Rawls, Wycliff Gordon, Doc Severinsen, Arturo Sandoval, and Sean Jones.
As a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, he has toured nationally and internationally with jazz flutist Hubert Laws and vocalist Kurt Elling. As a past member of the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra led by trumpeter Sean Jones, he has shared the stage with Jazz legends such as Jimmy Heath, Ahmad Jamal, and Freddy Cole.
Mr. Rittenhouse currently holds the Applied Trumpet Instructor position at Morgan State University. Before teaching at Morgan State, he taught Jazz Trumpet at George Mason University.
Mr Rittenhouse is also the Music Director for the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Youth Orchestra.
For over 25 years Mr. Rittenhouse has led his own jazz quartet performing in and around the Washington, DC area with many great jazz artists including Larry Willis, Ralph Peterson, Don Braden, Buck Hill, and Steve Wilson, and Butch Warren. The group recorded their first release (a sextet) in 2006 titled “The Francis Suite”. Their second release, recorded in February 2013 is titled “New York Suite”. It’s a hard swinging septet playing mostly original songs highlighting traditional straight ahead jazz with a bit of Funk & R&B in the mix.
Jonathan Epley
Guitar
Jonathan Epley is a multi-faceted guitarist that has called the Baltimore area home since 2011. His Bluegrass/Folk upbringing combined with Jazz, Blues, and Progressive Rock created a unique sound that has been featured on recordings that range in style from Modern Jazz all the way to Metalcore.
Jonathan has served in the US Military since 2009. The majority of that time has been spent with The Jazz Ambassadors, the premiere touring jazz ensemble of the US Army. This position includes 100-125 performances per year as well as providing educational clinics for elementary school through college students throughout the United States. In addition to military service, Jonathan has become a staple in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. jazz scene. He has worked artists such as Dr. John, Todd Marcus, Joshua Davis, and Sean Jones among others.
As both a sideman and leader he has performed up and down the east coast, including performances at small colleges and coffeehouses as well as historic venues like Blue Note NYC and Dizzy’s Jazz Club. In addition to sideman recording work, he released a trio album entitled Songbird in 2016.
Brent Birckhead
Saxophone
Saxophonist Brent Birckhead is an award-winning artist, whose aesthetic is an intersectional amalgam of traditional and popular styles. Unbound by genre, Birckhead’s approach to woodwind artistry is driven by his compulsion for creative risk and deep respect for legacy. His place in the continuum of a storied lineage begins with his surname, Birckhead, and extends to his extensive musical education and work ethic as a visionary approach to life as a rising leader.
Educated at Howard University (BME, MM), Birckhead was named best blues/pop/rock soloist and outstanding instrumental jazz soloist by Downbeat Magazine as part of the annual Student Music Awards. In 2011 Brent was named "Best Alto Saxophonist" by the Washington City Paper.
The Baltimore native's talent earned him the honor of performing and touring with legendary artists including Lauryn Hill, Nas, Wale, Eric Benet, Larry Graham, George Duke and many more.
Birckhead is a professor of saxophone at Morgan State University. On February 22nd Birckhead released his self-titled debut album on Revive Music.
Reginald Cyntje
Trombone
Recording artist Reginald Cyntje (born in Roseau Dominica, raised on St. Thomas, USVI) is an award-winning professional musician,
composer, producer, and educator. To date, he's recorded six albums as a leader. He is also the author of Stepping Stones: 15 studies in improvisation. Cyntje, the educator, is the Director of Jazz Studies at Duke Ellington School of the Arts and a professor of music at Montgomery College. He has toured the US, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean.
Cyntje has appeared on many recordings from jazz to hip-hop. He’s performed with such luminaries as Amiri Baraka, Dr. Billy Taylor, Illinois Jacquet, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Dion Parson and the 21st Century Band, Ron Blake, Marc Cary, Joe Chambers, Cyrus Chestnut, George Duke, Benny Golson, Wycliffe Gordon, Sean Jones, Jason Moran, Johnny O'Neal, Nicholas Payton, Vanessa Rubin, Terrell Stafford, Gary Thomas, Tim Warfield, Larry Willis, and many other extraordinary artists.
Leonardo Lucini
Bass
Leonardo Lucini is a bassist, producer, composer and educator in New York City. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mr. Lucini has performed and/or recorded with renowned artists such as Nestor Torres, Arturo O’Farrill, Alex Acuna, Chuchito Valdez, Rogerio Souza, Giovanni Hidalgo and Horacio (El Negro) Hernandez. Currently, Mr. Lucini is the Orchestra Director and Music instructor at Esperanza Preparatory Academy in Harlem, NY as well as performs with many artists and his band Origem. A graduate of Howard University, Mr. Lucini also holds a Masters in Music from the University of Maryland.
Online Faculty
These amazing faculty will be teaching from all over the world. (You'll get a chance to work with each of these faculty, as we rotate which combo they work with!)
Jeff Antoniuk
Saxophone
Saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk is a beloved jazz educator, and his widely popular "Digging Deeper Jazz" YouTube channel has upwards of 2,000,000 views. DDJ was pivotal in helping Jeff launch JazzWire.net, one of the most cutting edge jazz education platforms for adult players in the world. Jeff is the Artistic Director of JazzWire, where he serves students from over 25 different countries.
A dedicated teaching artist, Antoniuk has been a featured performer and educator at numerous festivals, including Juneau Jazz & Classics, The Jazz Educator Network (JEN) Annual Convention, the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, the International Saxophone Symposium, MacEwan Summer Jazz, and at The White House. He is the founder and artistic director of Maryland Summer (and Winter) Jazz, and directs Jazz Band Masterclass in the Washington DC area.
An internationally respected jazz composer and musician, Jeff’s recordings, including “Flow" with Helluvaband and "Brotherhood" and "Here Today" with The Jazz Update have been lauded by jazz critics around the world. Antoniuk has shared the stage with masters including Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Jimmy Haslip, Najee and Marcus Miller. He's also worked with Canadian greats PJ Perry, Senator Tommy Banks, big band leader Rob McConnell, pop icon David Foster and trumpet sensation Ingrid Jensen. In 2017, Jeff was the featured soloist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in the world premier of their "Swingin' Nutcracker," a jazz reinvention of the 25 movement Tchaikovsky classic.
A dedicated teaching artist, Antoniuk has been a featured performer and educator at numerous festivals, including Juneau Jazz & Classics, The Jazz Educator Network (JEN) Annual Convention, the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, the International Saxophone Symposium, MacEwan Summer Jazz, and at The White House. He is the founder and artistic director of Maryland Summer Jazz, and directs two other adult music programs in the USA: Jazz Band Masterclass and the Capital City Voices. In 2018, Antoniuk launched Jazz Wire, the global home for adult amateur and semipro jazz musicians.
More Coming Soon!
TBA
The Summit reserves the right to change or substitute faculty at any time