ATHENS JAZZ FESTIVAL

See below for the Bill Burns bio!

Bill Burns is an active jazz educator and performer across southwest Ohio and has been referred to by the Dayton Daily News as “the biggest, baddest, baritone sax player to play her in a long time”. Bill the founder and leader of the Bright Moments Jazz Quintet and the Unity Saxophone Quartet. He is a member of the Dayton Jazz Orchestra, The Psychoacoustic Orchestra, The Tom Daughtery Orchestra, and various regional bands. Bill’s performance experience includes work Norwegian and Holland America Cruise lines, the Dayton Philharmonic, the Northern Kentucky Symphony, and the Blue Wisp Big Band. He has had the honor of backing up such legends as Phil Woods, John Pizzarelli, Arturo Sandoval, Diana Schuur, John Fedchock, Billy Hart, Denis DaBlazio, Bobby Watson, Frankie Vallie, The Temptations, The O’Jays, and the Funk brothers, among others. As an educator, Bill has been on faculty with the Miami Valley Jazz Camp since 1996. In 2005, Bill was nominated for the Harry T. Wilkes outstanding educator award while teaching in Hamilton City Schools . He currently teaches General Music and Jazz Ensemble in Centerville City Schools and serves as adjunct professor at Sinclair Community College. Bill is past president of the Jazz Education Connection of Ohio and has presented jazz clinics at both the Ohio Music Education Association Convention and the National Jazz Education Network convention in New Orleans. Recordings Bill can be found on include Serenade in Blue with the CCM Big Band, Swing,Dance,Remember with the Dayton Jazz Orchestra, Do What You Gotta Do with the Bill Burns Quartet. His most recent recording, Jazz Advice, with the Bright Moments Jazz Quintet was released in January of 2016. Bill holds a B.A. in Music Education from the University of Dayton and a Masters in Saxophone Performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.