UO Jazz Faculty Ensemble plays at the Jazz Station in Eugene
- Idit Shner alto saxophone
- Paul Krueger trumpet
- John Storie guitar
- Keith Brown piano
- Tyler Abbott bass
- Ken Mastrogiovanni drums
The UO Faculty Jazz Ensembles returns to The Jazz Station. Each performer is contributing an original work and a favorite standard for the evening's concert.
Paul Krueger is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and educator, and the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance where he leads the Oregon Jazz Ensemble and teaches courses in jazz pedagogy and jazz arranging, as well as lessons in jazz trumpet, improvisation, and composition/arranging.
A versatile trumpeter and improviser, Krueger has also published numerous works for large jazz ensemble. A three-time winner of a Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award, his music has been performed internationally by artists such as Steve Wilson, Kendrick Scott, and Eric Alexander, and he performs frequently in the Pacific Northwest.
Inspired by his parents—both accomplished music educators—Krueger has established himself as a dedicated and dynamic leader in music education. Before joining the faculty at the University of Oregon, he served as trumpet instructor at Willamette University and as a music instructor at Lane Community College. His students and ensembles have received national recognition including multiple honors from the prestigious DownBeat Magazine Student Music Awards. Among these, the Oregon Jazz Ensemble was recognized for outstanding performance in the Graduate School Large Jazz Ensemble category, while the Lane Jazz Ensemble was named the winner in the Community College Large Jazz Ensemble category.
Outside of his academic commitments, he is dedicated to engaging with students in the community and fostering a love for jazz and improvisation among youth. He is highly sought-after as a clinician and holds key roles such as the director of the UO Summer Jazz Improvisation Camp, co-director of the Oregon Jazz Festival, and director of the UO Day of Improvisation, an annual, free one-day workshop tailored for high school students. He has served as the director for multiple honors ensembles, including the Oregon Jazz Festival All-Star Big Band and the Montana All-State Jazz Ensemble.
Krueger holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (2009), and a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from the University of Oregon (2011).
An active performer of both jazz and classical music, Idit Shner has played in various distinguished venues in the United States and abroad, such as The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. and Lincoln Center in New York.
Her latest project, Mhondoro, blends Zimbabwean folk music and American jazz. Mhondoro released their second album, Ngatibatanei / Let Us Unite! in 2024. Their debut album, Heatwave, was released in 2022. Additional jazz releases include Live at The Jazz Station, 9 Short Stories (which garnered a 4-start review in Downbeat magazine) and Tuesday’s Blues. Jazz festival performances include the Diet Coke Woman in Jazz Festival (NY), Bellayre Festival (NY), and New-Trier Jazz Festival (IL).
Idit appears on Music from SEAMUS Vol. 16, a compilation CD of music for instruments and electronic sounds by members of the Society for Electroacoustic Music in the United States.
As a classical saxophonist Idit has commissioned and recorded new music and performed solo recitals in the US and Israel. MINERVA is her latest classical release. Her third CD, Le Merle Noir, featuring music by Messiaen, Bozza, Partos, and Glass, was released on Origin Classics in August 2013. Her previous classical recording, FISSURES: 20th Century Music for saxophone and Harp with renowned harpist Yumiko Schlaffer, received great acclaim and was played on NPR’s All Things Considered. Idit has collaborated with Fireworks, Beta Collide and Third Angle (new music ensembles), and performed with the Oregon Symphony and the Eugene Symphony. Other appearances include the Northwest Percussion Festival, Electronic Music Midwest, the Oregon Bach Festival, and many North American Saxophone Alliance Conventions. During March 2006 she played in Israel as a featured soloist with a symphonic orchestra, and performed contemporary music at the national convention of the Society for Electro Acoustic Music in the US. Her last solo recital in Israel was broadcasted live on Voice of Music, a national public radio station.
Idit holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Oklahoma City University, a Masters degree in Music Education from University of Central Oklahoma, and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from University of North Texas. Idit now teaches at the University of Oregon, as professor of saxophone and jazz studies. She was awarded three prestigious teaching awards: The 2015 Thomas F. Herman Award for Excellence in Pedagogy in areas of saxophone technique and chamber music coaching; the 2016 University of Oregon Faculty Excellence Award; and a Philip H. Knight Endowed Chair in 2019.
John Storie is an Oregon-based guitarist, vocalist, bandleader, arranger, and composer. He is Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon. As a headliner for major international festivals and venues, he also performs with the award-winning New West Guitars.
John’s current tours include Melissa Manchester, Ann Hampton Callaway, Sarah McKenzie, and his own quartet.
In 2019, John released a new project featuring pianist Josh Nelson called “Ponderosa”. This album features Storie also as a vocalist, with his own songs and covers ranging from Woody Guthrie to Sergio Mendes.
In 2017, John recorded on Gwen Stefani’s album You Make it Feel Like Christmas which topped the Billboard charts at #1 holiday album. In 2018, the reissue of the same album, also topped the Billboard holiday charts, as well as placed for ads such as Starbucks and Target, and in 2024 the single You Make it Feel Like Christmas went RIAA Platinum.
From 2012-2025 John was a member of Jeff Goldblum’s Mildred Snitzer Orchestra performing globally and with guest artists such as Miley Cyrus, Inara George, Gregory Porter, Sharon Van Etten, Sarah Silverman, and others. John released 4 albums with Jeff on the Decca and Verve Records labels, with all albums topping the Billboard Jazz Charts and iTunes Music Charts. John performed with Jeff on BBC, NBC, CBS, and ABC television with appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Kelly Clarkson Show, The Late Late Show and The Today Show.
Since 2005, Storie has been the co-founder of the New West Guitars - a guitar trio featuring original compositions as well as arrangements of classic standards and pop covers. NWG has performed at the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Amerikafest in Berlin, Philippine International Jazz Festival, as well as festivals and venues in the US including Britt Fest, Rochester Jazz Festival, Yoshi’s, Subculture NYC, and the Blue Whale. NWG also has conducted clinics at major universities and music conservatories. Currently collaborating with the Archtop Foundation - Blue Guitars, NWG is set to release their new trio album in early 2026.
While a student at USC’s Thornton School of Music (BM ’06) and CalArts (MFA ’12), John was recognized by the Downbeat Student Music Awards, the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts, and Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. In 2005, John was selected as one of 10 semi-finalists in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Guitar Competition and performed at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC with Chris Potter, Terri Lynn Carrington, James Genus, and Bob James.
From 2017-2025, John was faculty in the Los Angeles Community College District. Since 2018, he has been an artist-in-residence at his alma mater California Institute of the Arts conducting his class Concert Booking and Tour Planning for the Self-Promoting Musician as well as Musician Budgeting 101.
In 2025, John released his first comprehensive online Jazz Guitar Pathway curriculum for PickupMusic. In addition, John has upcoming album releases with his own groups slated for 2026.
Lastly in 2025 John joined the faculty as Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon in Eugene where he resides with his wife Ashley and his son Owen.
Keith L. Brown is a distinguished pianist, composer, and educator, widely regarded as one of the most sought-after musicians in contemporary jazz. Rooted in R&B, Funk, Classical, Jazz, and Hip-Hop, his compositions and piano style seamlessly blend these influences, showcasing both deep tradition and modern innovation. With an exceptional command of jazz’s rich language, Brown transitions effortlessly between hard swing, funk, and free improvisation—all while maintaining a distinctive artistic voice.
Born in Memphis, TN, and raised in Knoxville, TN, Brown began playing piano seriously at 18 and quickly established himself as a formidable force in jazz. He currently tours as the pianist for Grammy-nominated saxophonist and 2023 NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship recipient Kenny Garrett. His extensive collaborations include performances with Stefon Harris, Jazzmeia Horn, George Coleman, Greg Tardy, Camille Thurman, Terreon Gully, Willie Jones III, Endea Owens, Charles Tolliver, Buster Williams, Lenny White, Steve Turre, John Clayton, and many more—captivating audiences worldwide.
As a respected bandleader, Brown has headlined renowned venues and international jazz festivals, including the Jazz en Tête Festival in Clermont-Ferrand and Sunset Jazz Club. To date, he has released three full-length albums as a leader, with his latest project, Keith Brown Trio: African Ripples, earning four stars in Downbeat Magazine.
Music has always been woven into Brown’s life. The son of revered composer, pianist, and educator Donald Brown, he was immersed in music from an early age, learning from his father’s artistry and wisdom. His mother, Dorothy, and siblings, Kenneth, Donald Jr., and Cynthia, are all artists, making creativity a family tradition. Through his dedication to exploration, innovation, and reinvention, Brown honors his family’s legacy and the musical ancestors who paved the way before him.
Now, he is passing along his knowledge as the Assistant Professor of Jazz and Contemporary Piano at the University of Oregon, inspiring the next generation of musicians.
Tyler Abbott teaches double bass, jazz bass, and music theory at the University of Oregon School of Music and Dance in Eugene, Oregon, and has taught at Walla Walla College and Willamette University. He maintains a private teaching studio in Eugene, Oregon. He maintains an active performance schedule as an orchestral bassist, chamber musician, jazz bassist, clinician, and soloist, and has performed nationally and internationally with some of the finest musicians in both the classical and jazz music worlds. He has recently performed with, or is a member of, the Eugene Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Aspen Festival Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival, Spokane Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Festival of American Music’s “American Symphonia,” Eugene Opera Orchestra, Yakima Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Mozart Players, Salem Chamber Orchestra, and several other professional orchestras throughout the region and country. As a chamber musician, he has performed with the Oregon String Quartet, Chamber Music Amici, Pacifica Trio, Beta Collide, Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, Orli Shaham, Sharon Robinson, Vladamir Feltsman, Jamie Laredo, acclaimed contemporary soprano Lucy Shelton, and Hundreth Monkey, a contemporary ensemble based in Eugene, of which he was co-director.
As a jazz bassist, Tyler has performed with Steve Wilson, Ben Monder, Randy Porter, Roswell Rudd, Danilo Perez, Billy Childs, Chris Botti, Dave Pietro, Scott Wenholdt, Billy Kilson, Nancy King, Marcus Whitfield, George Mitchell, Arnie Caruthers, Ryan Keberle, Randy Halberstadt, Dick Hyman, Howard Levy, Warren Rand, Tom Grant, John Stowell, and many others. He performs regularly in jazz festivals and on radio broadcasts and has performed with a touring Broadway show. His recording with Toby Koenigsberg, Sense, was released on Origin Records and was met with favorable reviews in several publications. Tyler has presented master classes at several universities and high schools, and presented at the 2011 International Society of Bassists Convention in San Francisco, CA. His playing can be heard on the soundtrack to the documentary Fly Away Beetle, released in 2011. He performed on Hashem Assadullahi’s project Pieces (featuring Ron Miles, and also including James Miley, Justin Morell, and Ryan Biesack), to be released in 2012.
Tyler studied double bass with Roma Vayspapir (former principal bass of the Leningrad Philharmonic), Bruce Bransby (former principal bass of the Los Angeles Philharmonic), Jeff Bradetich (international soloist and pedagogue), Don Hermanns (Oregon Symphony), Lynn Seaton (Professor of Jazz Bass, University of North Texas), Dave Captein (Portland-based freelance jazz musician), Ken Baldwin (former assistant principal of Oregon Symphony), Curtis Daily (Seattle Baroque Orchestra, Portland Baroque Orchestra), Eugene Jablonsky, and has studied briefly and/or participated in master classes with Hal Robinson, Edgar Meyer, Al Laszlo, and Eugene Levinson. He traveled to Gorizia, Italy to study with Christina Hoock, bass professor of the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. He attended the Aspen Music Festival and School for five years and attended the Atlantic Music Festival, where he was the only fellowship recipient on bass.
Oregon-based drummer, Ken Mastrogiovanni, has established himself as an important musician of his scene who brings a unique sensibility and modern voice to the drums and music.
The very early years of his music environment was shaped by his older brother’s j-pop, ska, and electronic bands, as well as listening to the latest jazz and avant-garde music his father played at home. This would subconsciously influence his musical interests and vocabulary going forward.
Starting drum set at the age of eleven, his musical adventure was fueled by many important mentors, eventually leading him to recent performance opportunities as a sideman with such artists as Jaleel Shaw, George Colligan, Dick Oatts, Jim Rotondi, Roxy Coss, Clay Jenkins, Bruce Williams, Geoffrey Keezer, John Raymond, Remy Le Boeuf, Yoav Eshed, Alden Hellmuth and the Redshift Trio.
He completed his M.M. in Jazz Studies at the University of Oregon, and is now the drum set instructor at his alma mater in addition to maintaining his own private lesson studio.
Producing under the title, “kenthemaestro”, he creates beats that transcend genre, often collaborating with MCs and other creatives
