A Night of Jazz at EBPAC (With Video)

Denis DiBlasio has had a passion for music for as long as he can remember

On Wednesday, Diblasio and the Denis DiBlasio Quartet will perform at the East Brunswick Performing Arts Center for the Second Annual Night of Jazz. The event also will benefit the East Brunswick Public Schools and features Jazz Ensembles from East Brunswick schools.

Diblasio and the other three musicians that will be performing with him have never played together before. He knew the piano player and the piano player gathered the other two musicians.

“I am looking forward to it,” Diblasio said. “It’s one of the things that makes jazz work. You put people together who study the same thing and see how it all works out.”

Diblasio is the director of Jazz Studies at Rowan University, where he has been employed for over 20 years. He completed his bachelor’s degree at Rowan University, as well, and received his master’s degree in Composition and Arrangement at the University of Miami. After completing his education he went on the road with the Maynard Ferguson band for five years.

Diblasio first got into music as a small child taking clarinet lessons. As he got older it remained a passion of his as he formed various bands with his friends. Jazz was always one of his favorite genres.

“My Dad had jazz records around the house. I would listen to them and try to copy and follow along,” Diblasio said. “The jazz bands did a lot of traveling and it was exciting and I wanted to do it too.”

Besides teaching, Diblasio does a lot of private music events, including performances at the East Brunswick Public Library. He gives various concerts all over the country, as well as, music clinics. His most recent performance was in Lexington, Ky., where he played in a club and then gave a clinic and concert with college bands.

The Night of Jazz concert is being held at 7 p.m. and costs $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. Group rates are available for groups of 10 or more. The  East Brunswick High School, Churchill Junior High School and Hamarskjold Middle School Jazz Ensembles will also be performing at the concert. The Concert will be performed at the East Brunswick Performing Arts Center at Hammarskjold Middle School.

For more information call 732-613-6985 or visit www.ebnet.org. Funding was provided by the East Brunswick Education Foundation Mario A. DeCarolis Memorial Music Fund.