The Bands Department at the Denver School of the Arts is proud to be able to host many nationally and internationally known artists to come into the program to teach and share their incredible experiences.

Gabriel Hasselbach

Gabriel Mark Hasselbach (you can call him Gabe!) is an award winning multi instrumentalist with a firm grasp on contemporary and mainstream jazz idioms. He is a unique stylist on trumpet, flutes, flugelhorn, valve trombone and digital wind instruments, with more than a dozen CDs under his own name, and numerous releases with other artists as player and/or producer, several of which have gone gold, platinum, and even double platinum. He has a JUNO Award (Canadian equivalent to a Grammy), the Golden Reel Award, the West Coast Music Award, Technics All Star Band Awards, and many more kudos, features and nominations.
Gabriel has performed at jazz fests worldwide, such as Montreux, North Sea, JVC, Vancouver International, and other high profile clubs and soft seaters, and has been consistently present on radio charts. Besides the luminary guests present on ‘Told Ya So’ (Jeff Lorber, Paul Brown, Marc Antoine, Darren Rahn, Miles Black, Rock Hendricks & Amanda Wood), he has recorded or performed with the likes of Michael Bublè (he even produced Michael’s CD ‘Dream’), George Benson, Chris Isaak, John Denver, Bob James, Heart, Cold Blood, Little Richard, Spyro Gyra, Jeremy Monteiro, The O’Jays, Long John Baldry, The Powder Blues, Ben E. King, Nikki Yanofsky, Brian Culbertson, Mary Wells, David Sanborn, Michael Lington, and many more. He was featured on Jazz Alley TV’s syndicated series for BET (shown in 41 countries) entitled ‘Live On Maui’ which has subsequently been released on DVD. His music can be heard in various movies and television productions, and received an award from SmoothJazz.com for top downloads.

John Clayton

The patience he exhibits with his students… The provocative notes he chooses when he composes… The empathy he shows when he produces…. The scintillating sounds he coaxes from musicians when he conducts…
pale in comparison to his charisma when you just hear him swing! And swing he does. Grammy-winning bassist/composer/conductor, John Clayton’s talents are consistently requested by the movers and shakers in the jazz industry, such as Quincy Jones and Tommy Lipuma. Clayton says, “When composing or arranging for the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, I am a disciple of Duke Ellington, Thad Jones, Oliver Nelson, Quincy Jones and Gil Evans, to name just a few.” Regarding his bowing techniques, he cites the radically different techniques of Slam Stewart, Major Holley and Paul Chambers as influences. There is no doubt, however, that John has created a niche for himself wherein he stands alone.
As a testament to his immense talent and broad ranging appeal, John Clayton served as the Artistic Director of Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1999 through 2001. In addition, he is Artistic Director for the Centrum Jazz Workshop in Port Townsend, Washington and was also appointed Artistic Director for the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival in 2006. John has written and arranged music for Diana Krall, DeeDee Bridgewater (including her Grammy award winning CD “Dear Ella”), Natalie Cole, Milt Jackson, Nancy Wilson, Quincy Jones, George Benson, Dr. John, Gladys Knight, Regina Carter, Queen Latifah and many others. He has been commissioned by many ensembles, including the Northwest Chamber Orchestra, the American Jazz Philharmonic, The Iceland Symphony, The Metropole Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Big Band, The Richmond Symphony, the WDR Orchestra, and the Amsterdam Philharmonic. On the other hand, John was awarded a platinum record for his stirring arrangement of “The Star-Spangled Banner” performed by Whitney Houston during the Super Bowl in 1990. He has won numerous awards such as the Golden Feather Award given to him by the legendary Leonard Feather and the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s Composer/Arranger award.
John has served as the musical director of several jazz festivals including the Sarasota Jazz Festival and the Santa Fe Jazz Party. As Artistic Director of the Vail Jazz Workshop, he participates in choosing talented students from across the nation in an intensive week of learning jazz. Last year, he was also appointed as Artistic Director for the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival. Clayton’s serious study of the double bass began at age 16 when he studied with famed bassist, Ray Brown. At age 19, John was the bassist for Henry Mancini’s television series “The Mancini Generation”. Later he completed his studies at Indiana University in 1975, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Double Bass. Touring with Monty Alexander and the Count Basie Orchestra followed. He held the principal bass position in the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra for more than five years.
The Grammy-nominated Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra is co-led by John, his brother, saxophonist, Jeff Clayton, and drummer, Jeff Hamilton. Also, John co-leads with Jeff, the Clayton Brothers Quintet, who have been nominated for two Grammy awards.
In an effort to sum up John Clayton’s unique expertise, “the man just does it all”. He is equally comfortable in jazz and classical music, and hits the mark, whether it is as composer, arranger, conductor, or teacher, in addition to his magnificence when he plays his bass.

Javon Jackson

Javon Jackson came into international prominence as a member of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. As a member of Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Javon toured and made many recordings with the legendary drummer. In addition to Blakey, Jackson has toured and recorded with Elvin Jones, Freddie Hubbard, Betty Carter, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Donald Byrd, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Richard Davis, Bobby Hutcherson, Curtis Fuller and Stanley Turrentine.

As a recording artist, Jackson has appeared on over 125 recordings. Additionally, he has developed a formidable career as a leader, recording and touring throughout the world. Javon’s current musical group, The Javon Jackson Band, incorporates many styles including jazz, funk,R&B and rock.

His latest recording, Once Upon a Melody, finds Javon returning to acoustic jazz after a series of popular jazz-funk recordings. In addition to two originals, Javon includes tunes by the legendary Sonny Rollins and Wayne Shorter. In addition, Jackson covers music from the songbook of artist Corinne Bailey Rae. Joining him on Once Upon a Melody are Eric Reed on piano, Corcoran Holt on bass and drummer Billy Drummond.

Katie Glassman

Denver native, Katie Glassman, began playing and fell in love with the fiddle at age nine. Inspired in the world of Texas Oldtime music, she grew up in the culture of learning fiddle by ear and traveling to countless fiddle competitions throughout Colorado and the Western states.

In 1998, she was the National Junior Fiddle Champion. In 2000, she was the National Young Adult Fiddle Champion. In 2002, she placed 5th place in the National Grand Champion Division . In 2001 and 2010, she was a certified judge for the National oldtime fiddle competition. Katie is the 2011 Colorado State Fiddle Champion.

But, aside from contests, Katie traveled to study with legendary fiddle players such as Wes Wesmoreland, Jimmie Don Bates, Carl Hopkins, Tonya Hopkins, Paul Anastasio and many other of her heroes. To be a part of an aural tradition so intricate, diverse and treasured, built a lifetime connection between Katie and her fiddle.

Katie graduated high school from the Denver School of the Arts and continued on to University of Colorado at Denver. There she joined the Claimjumpers and apprenticed at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee with Dixieland bands: Night Blooming Jazzmen, Chicago Six, Queen City Jazz Band and Hot Club of San Fransisco.

Katie then studied jazz and classical (University of Colorado Boulder), under jazz pianist Chip Stephens and violinist Jennifer John. There she played in the top jazz combo and was awarded Outstanding performer award at Abilene Texas Jazz festival and 1st runner up for the IAJE International Sisters of jazz group. In 2004, she graduated (as the 1st violinist to graduate University of Colorado) with a Certificate in Jazz Studies and a Bachelor’s in Performance.

Over this time period, Katie performed with the Sidewinders, Gypsy Swing Revue, Lannie Garret, on E-town with Hazel Miller and Dave Alvins and several other groups.

While in college, Katie discovered the playing of French jazz violinist Didier Lockwood (the protégé of Stephane Grappelli). In 2006, she traveled to France to study for one year in Dammarie-Les-Lys at Centre Musique Didier Lockwwod. The jazz school hosted 60 students per year. Katie was the 2nd American to study there. In 2007 she was awarded a Certificate avec Mention Bien from C.M.D.L.

In 2007, Katie returned to the music scene in Denver. She has played with the Gypsy jazz group Impromptu, Gypsy Swing Revue, Charlie Provenza, Randall McKennan, The Quiet American (Aaron Keim), Sean McGowan, Andy Stein, Liz Masterson, Mike Music Band, Grant Gordy, Swing Chicks, David Williams, Justin Donovan, Pickin’ on the Porch, Kernel Mustard, Bill Nershe, Boulder Acoustic Society, Katie Glassman Trio and the Bloomers.

Katie currently teaches and performs with the Katie Glassman Trio and The Bloomers.