Explore Jazz Improv Workshop

General Information 

The Gordon College Department of Music will be holding a Jazz Improvisation Workshop for high school students with Grammy-nominated tenor saxophonist Mike Tucker.

This free workshop will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2025, from 6-9 p.m. at the Phillips Music Center on the Gordon College campus - Check-in starts at 5.30pm

The workshop will focus on building improvisational skills by improving your listening and technical and harmonic vocabulary skills while building confidence playing over various forms and chord changes. All experience levels are welcome. In addition, students will have an opportunity to solo with Mike Tucker and the Gordon College Jazz Ensemble.

If you would like to be part of this great Jazz opportunity and be inspired by Mike Tucker, please register by February 17.

After your registration, Professor Gerry Dolan will personally reach out to you and provide you more information about the workshop repertoire and program.

If you have questions or need more information, please email Gerry Dolan, Gordon College Jazz Ensemble Director, at [email protected]

Tucker is a Grammy-nominated saxophonist and is most widely known for his work with legendary trumpeter Arturo Sandoval.

To date, Mike has performed as a leader and a sideman in over 30 countries. He has recorded and performed with a diverse list of artists crossing genre lines. Some jazz artists include: Esperanza Spaulding, Joe Lovano, Branford Marsalis, Joey Colderazo and Tiger Okoshi. Mike’s deep love for R&B and soul have led to gigs and performances with George Duke, Lettuce, Soullive, Melvin Sparks, The Motet, Fred Welsley, Pee Wee Ellis, Robin Mckelle, Nigel Hall and many others. Mike has appeared on over 40 recordings as a sideman and has four of his own recordings out as a leader, as well as three more as a co-leader with Dave Zinno’s group, Unisphere.

Born in Danvers, MA, Tucker started playing the saxophone at age 11. Although he enjoyed listening to a variety of styles of music, he fell in love with jazz around the age of 14 and became a diligent student of the style. Shortly after high school he received a full scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston and was a semi-finalist in the 2002 Thelonious Monk Jazz Saxophone Competition.