DETROIT, MI - Chris Collins, Associate Professor of Music at Wayne State University, along with his jazz quintet will be featuring music from his CD "Jazz from the Shamrock Shore": Expressions of an Irish American Composer in a St. Patrick's Concert Series, opening on February 28, 2003 at Wayne State. Chris's CD, which was released in March 2002, blends Irish Folk with American Jazz.

Performance Dates:

February 28 - Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, Shaver Music Recital Hall, 480 W. Hancock and Cass, Old Main Building 11:45 a.m. concert

SPECIAL GUEST:
Kersten Allvin, harp

Free!
(313- 577-1795 for Info.)

March 13, 14, 15 - Sevin The Nightclub, 40 W. Pike, Pontiac, MI 4 shows nightly (248-745-7461 for info.)

March 16 - Greektown Casino, Detroit, MI 10 p.m.-2:00 a.m.

March 17 -
St. Patrick's Day at The Bird of Paradise, Ann Arbor, MI (734-662-8310for info.)

Musicians:
Chris Collins, jazz woodwinds/Irish flute and whistles
Stacey Mason, fiddle
Jeff Halsey, bass
Dennis Tini, piano
David Taylor, drums
Bob Harsen, drums (March 13 and 14)

Chris Collins, recently back from a tour in South Africa and Ireland, is a professional jazz woodwind player who has toured throughout Japan, Europe and North America as the leader of his own ensembles and as a featured soloist. He has played professionally with artists including the Phil Collins Big Band, Mel Torme, Lou Rawls, Hideo Tacheuchi, Harvey Thompson Quartet, Rob McConnel and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He has performed at jazz festivals including Montreux-Switzerland, Pori, Nice, North Sea and Glasgow. His most recent CD release, Jazz From The Shamrock Shore (Harriett Jazz/ASCAP), features extended compositions that artistically combine the instrumentation, musical vocabulary and repertoire of the Irish folk tradition with American Jazz. Collins' work has received recognition from Billboard Magazine, Downbeat Magazine, Detroit Jazz Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The Detroit news, The Hennesey Jazz Competition, and the International Association of Jazz Educators.

Chris currently is an Associate Professor and Co-Director of Jazz Studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Chris has presented numerous workshops around the world on topics including jazz saxophone/improvisation and distance jazz education. He has also contributed several articles to the Jazz Educators Journal including a recent cover story on Joe Lovano and Joe Zawinul.

** "Jazz from the Shamrock Shore" was selected as one of Ed Loves (WDET-FM101.9 - Legendary jazz radio personality) top-20 jazz releases of 2002.

CD available at www.AMAZON.com