TICKETS are $10 General/$5 Student. Concert is one long set. End time is approximate.

Our Student Jazz Performance Series presents the Max Brown Sextet. Some of the performers are attending IU Jacobs School of Music and Butler University. 

Max formed the first iteration of The Max Brown Sextet for his masters recital at Indiana University in late 2022. The group plays primarily original compositions and arrangements, and has played shows in Bloomington IN. The foundation of the music is straight ahead jazz but it ventures into free improv and a more experimental style. A goal he tries to achieve in is writing is to keep a sense of simplicity and space for improvisation in every chart, regardless of the style. This performance will feature 9 original charts, including a four movement suite, and a mix of music that they have performed before and music that they haven’t. 

Max Brown – trombone

Kent Hickey – trumpet

Caleb Robinson – saxophone

Nate Sorrentino – piano

David Richards – bass

John Sevy - drums

maxbrownjazz.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@maxbrown7882/videos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MXbW1YNv1E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZX4zWh-yMA

Max Brown is a trombonist, composer, and arranger, with a passion for jazz. Currently based in Madison Wisconsin, Max is working his way into the Chicago and Milwaukee jazz scenes. He is a bandleader of both a jazz quartet, and a jazz/original music sextet. Max has also built a presence in Indiana, where he spent 6 years from 2017-2023.  Earning a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (Bloomington) where he studied with the great Wayne Wallace. As well as a Bachelor’s Degree in classical trombone from Butler University in Indianapolis.

Kent Hickey is an in-demand trumpet player and educator based in Indianapolis, IN.  He is currently on faculty at both Butler University and the University of Indianapolis as Adjunct Professor of Jazz Trumpet where he teaches applied lessons and jazz combo.  In addition to teaching, Kent serves as the Outreach Liaison for the Butler University’s Youth Jazz Program. Professionally, Kent freelances in and around Indianapolis and leads two groups of his own, the Hickey-Shanafelt 9ollective and the Kent Hickey Trio.  His groups have performed at renowned local and regional venues like the Chatterbox, Merrimans’ Playhouse, Blockhouse Bar, Fulton Street Collective (Chicago), Blu Jazz+ (Akron), and the world-famous Jazz Kitchen.

Caleb Robinson is an upcoming saxophonist that’s making a splash in the Indianapolis scene. Caleb has had the opportunity to play at the Carmel Jazz Festival as well as the annual Circle of Lights event (Indy). Caleb’s true passion has always been straight ahead jazz with a real love for hard bop and bebop. He has won several awards most recently being the Harlan Lewis and Doris Wittenburg Jazz Scholarship. Caleb is now a senior at the Jacobs School of Music, pursuing a BM in Jazz Saxophone Performance and a minor in Music Education. Caleb can also be seen collaborating with Ben Davis high school, where he works as a woodwind specialist. Caleb also teaches private lessons for saxophone, clarinet, and jazz improvisation.

Nate Sorrentino, born in Munster IN, is a 3rd year student in Jazz Studies at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. To go along with being a trained pianist, Nate is a self-taught drummer, bassist, and guitarist. He is also composer, arranger, and producer. In his time at IU Nate has freelanced in the Bloomington area and played in several university groups including Latin Jazz Ensemble and the Natalie Boeyink Ensemble (who recently played a concert with Wycliffe Gordon). Nate has also learned how to tune pianos, and plans on getting his certifications to fix them after his B.M.

David Richards, born in South Bend Indiana, is an Indianapolis based freelance musician. He received a B.M. in Jazz Studies from Butler University where he studied with Jesse Wittman and is currently pursuing a M.M. in Bass Performance at Butler with David Murray along with working as the Graduate Assistant for the Jazz department. Richards has performed at the Jazz Kitchen, Chatterbox, Elkhart Jazz festival, Bangkok Jazz Club, and Merrimans’ Playhouse with artists such as Kenny Phelps, Dorian Phelps, Joel Tucker, Rob Dixon, Sandy Williams, and Charlie Ballentine. He was invited to play at PASIC 2022 in Indianapolis where he played alongside Ney Rosauro and Kirk Gay. Richards can be heard on the band Kinglet’s debut album “Tangerine”.

A Denver, Colorado native, John Sevy has been playing professionally since he was 18. Although jazz drum set is his focus, John is also versed within the classical genre. He holds a Bachelor’s in music from the University of Colorado and a Master’s degree in percussion from Indiana University. Since 2017, John has gone on to win multiple orchestral positions, and perform with some of the finest jazz musicians from the Colorado and Indiana scenes. Sevy currently teaches as an Associate Instructor in Percussion at the Jacobs School of Music and holds a contracted position with the Terre Haute Symphony, as well as substitute positions with the New World Symphony, National Repertory Orchestra, Ballet Indiana, Richmond Symphony, Columbus Symphony, and Evansville Philharmonic.

Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from the Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services Private Trust Foundations, which include grants from the Stanley A. and Flora P. Clark Memorial Community Trust Foundation (2020-2021; 2022-2023 seasons), the John, Anna, and Martha Jane Fields Memorial Trust Foundation (2021-2022; 2022-2023 seasons), and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust (2021-2022; 2022-2023; 2023-2024 seasons). Special concert event support provided by the Arts Midwest Grow, Invest, Gather (GIG) Fund grant (2022-2023 season). Activities are made possible in part by the Arts Organization Support (AOS), Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency (2023-2024 season).

Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from The Esther and George Jaruga Charitable Foundation (2020-2023 seasons). The Student and Home Grown Series concerts made possible, in part, with support from the ArtsEverywhere Grant from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, and the Arts Project Support Grant and the Arts Recovery Grant through the Indiana Arts Commission.