Jazz & Improvisational Music Faculty

I have been lucky enough to have played toured and/or recorded with an eclectic mix of artists including the Milwaukee Symphony, Metropolitan Opera, American Brass Quintet, Atlantic Brass Quintet, Orpheus Chamber Ensemble, Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, Dafnis Prieto, Steve Lehman, Miguel Zenon, Jay-Z, Barbara Streisand, Sufjan Stevens, and the National.

Bill Carrothers has been a professional pianist for more than 40 years. He has played many venues throughout the U.S.

Patty Darling directs the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble and also teaches classes in jazz composition, arranging, electronic music and functional jazz piano.  Patty completed her Bachelor of Music degree in Compositi

Australian-born trumpeter/composer Nadje Noordhuis possesses a deeply-felt clarion tone described as having ‘beyond-category beauty (Dan Bilawsky, All About Jazz). Her evocative compositions meld classical rigor, jazz expression, and world music accents into a signature sound.

Described as a “The voice of the new jazz culture with seemingly limitless expression” by Jazziz Magazine, the spirited and vivacious Janet Planet has been self-produced and managed for the majority of h

Matt Turner is widely regarded as one of the world's leading improvising cellists.

Mark Urness is a versatile bassist, composer, and educator.