53RD ANNUAL SWOSU JAZZ FESTIVAL ADJUDICATORS

AARON LINSCHEID
Aaron Linscheid has been playing and teaching trumpet in Kansas City for a little over a decade.
After undergraduate at Bethel College and graduate studies in both classical
performance and jazz at the UMKC Conservatory, Linscheid started a private studio of
his own at the Village Music Academy and joined the faculty at Ottawa University as
Adjunct Professor of Trumpet. His students regularly receive statewide recognition in
both Kansas and Missouri.
As a performer Linscheid enjoys a wide variety of freelance work, leads his own trio
and plays with the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra, the Diamond Empire Band and the
Marcus Lewis Big Band
.

JOEL LINSCHEID
Joel Linscheid is a saxophonist, educator, and composer currently based in Rock Island, Illinois, where he serves as Director of Jazz Studies and Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Augustana College.
Linscheid received his D.M.A. in jazz performance with a minor in musicology from New England Conservatory, where he studied with Jerry Bergonzi, Mark Turner, Donny McCaslin, Miguel Zenon, and Ken Radnofsky. He received his M.M. in Jazz Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Colorado at Boulder and B.A. in Music with K-12 Education Certification from Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas.

Joel is a committed music educator, with over 15 years of experience teaching students of all ages and ability levels. From 2013-2017, Joel served as Instructor of Music at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas. He has also taught at the University of Colorado (Boulder), Hutchinson Community College (Kansas) and Friends University (Kansas). Joel’s diverse experience as an educator includes teaching saxophone, clarinet, flute, and jazz improvisation lessons, directing jazz ensembles and jazz combos, and teaching courses in music theory, jazz history, and jazz styles and analysis.
Linscheid performs frequently in a variety of musical settings, from jazz to classical to pop. He has previously been active on the music scenes in Boston, Denver, Kansas City, and Wichita, and has worked for Holland America Cruise Lines. From 2012 to 2013, he toured the U.S., Canada, and Japan and recorded an album with The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra. Joel has performed in educational or professional settings with many notable musicians, including Dave Douglas, Bobby Watson, Dave Holland, Brad Leali, Allen Vizzutti, Wycliffe Gordon, Tanya Darby, Jerry Hahn, Michael Feinstein, Johnny Mathis, The Temptations, and The Four Tops. He has also worked with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra, Music Theater Wichita, and the Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra.


JIM LAUGHLIN
Dr. Jim Laughlin is a tenured professor at Amarillo College who teaches woodwinds, jazz studies and freshman level music theory. He is an active performer, adjudicator and clinician throughout the midwest. Dr. Laughlin has performed with many touring groups such as the Tempatation, Rat Pack, Lynn Seaton, and as a student appeared with jazz greats Clark Terry, Urbie Breen, Bob Mintzer, Diane Reeves, Steve Wilkerson, and others.

Dr. Laughlin is a member of the Amarillo Symphony on both clarinet and saxophone, performs with Amarillo Opera and leads his own dance orchestra and jazz quartet. He has guest conducted many regional jazz bands as well as the Oklahoma Allstate Jazz band in 2007.

As president of the Amarillo Jazz Society, a 501C non-profit organization, he has organized numerous concerts and educational events. He is also the founder and program director for June Jazz which completed its 16th season at Amarillo College. In 2012 Laughlin was guest lecturer for the Creative Mind lecture series at Amarillo College, his topic was early jazz in New York and Paris.

Dr. Laughlin competed and won many concerto competitions, including with the Oklahoma Philharmonic, Wichita Symphony, and North American Saxophone Alliance. He has debuted original compositions for saxophone and has recorded in numerous cities. Holding degrees from three universities, his PhD in jazz pedagogy was completed in 2001 from The University of North Texas.

Dr. Laughlin enjoys living in Amarillo with his three children, Alex, Nick and Natalie, and wife Tammy.

ROB RECK
Robert Reck is active as a composer, arranger, teacher, and a vocal and instrumental performer. Rob retired from teaching public school music after thirty eight years. He performs locally on euphonium, trombone, bass guitar, and as a vocalist. His sacred compositions for Brass Ensemble and Choir are performed at the Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His choral composition "Close By Me Forever" was premiered in Dec. 2009 by the Westminster City Chorus of London. His concert band composition, "Pirates of the Aeolian" is published by Northeastern Music Publications. (See links.) The Boston Avenue Church, where Rob leads the brass ensemble and church orchestra, is the eighth largest United Methodist Church in the USA and has an active music ministry. See the link on this page for more information. The brass music on this page can be played with minimal rehearsal time by skillful adult or high school players, but is still musically rewarding. All music is road-tested before upload. The Christmas and Advent music is played yearly.


AUSTIN BRAZILLE
After years of studying and performing in Dallas and later New York, Austin returned to his native roots in Amarillo and has become one of the most in-demand guitarists in the area. He has performed locally with numerous acts including the Amarillo Opera, the Boilermaker Jazz Band, the West Texas A&M Directors Big Band, the Marlin McKay Quartet, the Esquire Jazz Band and Velvet Funk. Austin also leads his own jazz trio where he is the principal composer and arranger.
Austin’s collegiate career began at Amarillo College where he earned his associates in music studying under Dr. James Laughlin. While at AC he performed in Amarillo June Jazz Festival, the Greeley Jazz Festival held in Colorado, and performed with Colombian saxophonist Justo Almario.
He then went on to attend the Jazz Studies program at the University of North Texas which is known for such alumni as Norah Jones, Ari Hoenig, Ed Soph, Bob Belden, Jeff Coffin, Bob Dorough, Tom “Bones” Malone, “Blue Lou” Marini, Lyle Mays, and Keith Carlock. There, he studied under Fred Hamilton and Noel Johnston and performed in the Denton Arts and Jazz festival.
Upon completion of his bachelors degree Austin was accepted into the graduate Jazz program at New York University where he studied with John Scofield, Chris Potter, Lenny White, Adam Rogers, Wayne Krantz, Ralph Lallama, Stefon Harris, Andy Milne, Michael Rodriguez, and Ron McClure.
Aside from performing, Austin has worked as an Adjunct Instructor for New York University teaching guitar lessons to undergraduate and graduate students. He has also taught at academies including the Frisco School of Music as well as taught privately for over 11 years.