Artist Lineup | sitkajazzfestival

2022 Artist Lineup

Xavier Del Castillo

Xavier Del Castillo is a saxophonist and composer based in Brooklyn, New York. He has performed with numerous Jazz, New Music and Folk ensembles including Adam O'Farrill's Stranger Days, whose album Visions Of Your Other made the New York Times list of top 10 Jazz Albums of 2021, Cat Toren's Human Kind, Inti and the Moon, Paul Beaubrun's Zing Experience, Ben Rosenblum's Nebula Project, Tim Rachbach's Under One Moon and Alec Goldfarb's Laughing Coffin. In addition, he has co-led various ensembles like Brickwork (formerly Mughal Muesli) and the Arsonists alongside other up and coming musicians including Patrick Bartley, Mat Muntz and Vicente Hansen.

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Ryan DeWeese

A rising young talent in the Los Angeles jazz and commercial music scene, Ryan DeWeese’s powerful sound, musicality, and stylistic versatility make him a highly sought-after performer and recording artist. He has performed with groups such as Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, the Tom Kubis Big Band, and Joey Sellers’ Jazz Aggregation, and has shared the stage with Sean Jones, Candido Camero, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Donny McCaslin, to name a few. DeWeese has also recorded on Michael Bublé’s love album, Idina Menzel’s Christmas: A Season of Love, Beto Hale’s No Hay Marcha Atrás, and episodes of Will and Grace and Duck Tales. He currently serves as a member of the Disneyland Band, the Kyle Athayde Dance Party, the Jon Hatamiya Big Band and Nonet, the Craig Cammell Large Band, the Afro Peruvian Jazz Orchestra, and the Clare Fischer Orchestra.

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Alex Hahn

Alex Hahn is a multi-award winning saxophonist and composer based in Los Angeles, California. Still early in his career, Hahn has had the opportunity to perform with many renowned artists such as Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding, Bob Mintzer, Russell Ferrante, Bob Reynolds, and John Daversa. He also recorded on Michael Bublé’s last two albums, “Nobody but Me” and “love.” In addition, Hahn has performed and taught all over the world including the Panama Jazz Festival, Sitka Jazz Festival, and at International Jazz Day in Havana, Cuba and St. Petersburg, Russia.

He is a 6-Time Downbeat Magazine Award Winner, 3-Time Next Generation Jazz Festival Outstanding Soloist, 1st Place Winner in the North American Saxophone Alliance Jazz Saxophone Competition, and winner of the Perform with Mintzer International Saxophone Competition. Most recently, Hahn was named 1 of 8 Semi-Finalists in the Michael Brecker International Saxophone Competition. His Downbeat Magazine Award Winning group, The Alex Hahn Crossing, released their debut album, Traveling, in 2014. Moreover, Hahn is an endorsed artist of D’Addario Woodwinds and Andreas Eastman Saxophones, and Key Leaves.

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Jon Hatamiya

Trombonist, composer, and B.A.C. Endorsing Artist Jon Hatamiya is one of the most promising trombonists to come out of the Sacramento area and is rapidly making a name for himself on both the New York and California music scenes. He was recognized in the August 1st, 2011 edition of Jet Magazine as the only trombonist on Wynton Marsalis’s list of “Who’s Got Next”, which highlighted the next generation of emerging jazz artists. Jon recently released his debut album as a leader More Than Anything on Orenda Records in early 2020.

As a performer, Jon has established a wide-ranging reputation reflecting his diverse musical interests. In the big band world, Jon is known as a lead trombone specialist with a soulful and fiery resonance, as well as a supportive and responsive section player. This versatility and knowledge of the big band tradition has led him to performances and recordings as lead trombone with the Kyle Athayde Dance Party, Jacob Mann Big Band, and the big band on Michael Bublé’s 2018 release, Love, and as a member of the trombone sections of the Bob Mintzer Big Band, John Daversa Progressive Big Band, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, among others.

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Logan Kane
If you hang around the Los Angeles music scene, it’s likely you’ve heard of bassist and composer Logan Kane. In the world of jazz and creative music he has performed on upright and electric bass with some of the highest profile artists including David Binney, Chris Potter, Becca Stevens, Nate Wood, Steve Lehman, Justin Brown, Damion Reid Edward Simon, Roy McCurdy, Peter Erskine, John Daversa, Joel Ross. Fueled by the excitement of the current Los Angeles renaissance, Logan Kane introduces an enigmatic and innovative compositional voice to the international jazz community. Logan often collaborates with Henry Solomon (HAIM, Big Sean, Rostam, Mon Laferte) and their new album "Outside World 2" is out everywhere now! Logan is the bassist for LA Punk-Funk band Thumpasaurus.

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Ed Littlefield

Ed is a freelance percussionist, educator and composer based out of Seattle, WA. He is Lingít originally from Sitka, Alaska and has released three albums featuring traditional native melodies with the Native Jazz Quartet called “Walking Between Worlds”, “NJQ: Stories” and most recently “NJQ: Southeast: Northwest”.

Ed is also involved in composition and sound design for national theaters such as La Jolla Playhouse, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Arena Stage.

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John Unzicker

A life-long Alaskan, John Unzicker is a music educator, performing guitarist, and former church music minister.

As an educator, he is currently an adjunct professor at the Univ. of AK Southeast and a general music teacher at both Harborview & Gastineau Elementary schools. Previously, he taught high school band & guitar at Juneau-Douglas High School (2010 - 2017), middle school orchestra & band at Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School (2005 - 2010), orchestra, band, guitar & piano for the Anchorage School of Music (2003 - 2004), as well as private guitar instruction.

As a performing musician, he is the guitarist for the Juneau Symphony and in April 2022, he will be the featured soloist performing Joaquin Rodrigo’s, “Concierto de Aranjuez.” John has also performed with Juneau Symphony String Quartet, Juneau Big Band, Sitka Jazz Festival Big Bands, and the SFAC Jazz on the Waterfront Big Band. He has performed throughout Southcentral and Southeast Alaska with numerous rock, blues, folk, R&B, and jazz bands. And as a solo classical/jazz guitarist, he has performed in local concert venues, restaurants, and weddings.

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Luke Woodle

Luke Woodle is a drummer, educator, and composer in Nashville, TN. He has performed with musicians all throughout the world including Los Angeles, New York City, and multiple international venues throughout France, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, and South Korea. Luke most recently released an album with Los Angeles based rock band Cab Ellis and continues to work with various musicians throughout Nashville in addition to being a dedicated teacher.

Bob Athayde

Although Bob considered becoming a music educator as early as 8th grade, it wasn’t until attending Cal State Hayward that he found his teaching mentor, Professor Marvin Nelson, where he received his BA (1975) and music teaching credential in 1976. In 1986 he became Music Director at Stanley Intermediate School in Lafayette, California. Bob is in frequent demand as a guest clinician, adjudicator, conductor, trumpet player and jazz pianist. He is Director of Lafayette Summer Music Workshop (lafsmw.org). Recognized for his outstanding teaching and musicianship, he has garnered a number of awards. For his latest award, Down Beat Magazine named the Stanley Jazz Messengers the Outstanding Middle School Jazz Band of 2016.

Kyle Athayde

Kyle Athayde is a San Francisco Bay Area based composer, arranger, performer, teacher, and bandleader. A native of Orinda, California, Kyle primarily plays vibraphone, piano, trumpet, and drums, as well as bongo, congas, timbales, string bass, bass clarinet, sousaphone, and vocal percussion. He is the leader, conductor, and principal writer for the San Francisco/New York based big band, "Kyle Athayde Dance Party", a group acclaimed for its versatility in the wide scope of styles it performs. He is also a keyboard, trumpet, and percussion player for the Bay Area collective “Jazz Mafia”, and is the pianist for The New York Trumpet Ensemble.