“One of the most successful and outspoken proponents of the jazz camp culture is Jim Widner.” – JAZZed Magazine
About Jim Widner
Bassist, Educator, Artistic Director, Yamaha Performing Artist, Producer
Jim Widner, Director of Jazz Studies at UM-St. Louis, is an alumnus of the Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and Glenn Miller big bands. Besides his role as leader of the Jim Widner Big Band, Jim is a big band guru with over 30 years of jazz camp experience. With five albums on the Chase Music Group label, Out of This World is the most recent release for this Yamaha national performing artist. He maintains an ambitious clinic and festival schedule at high schools and colleges throughout the U.S. that can be found at www.jimwidnerbigband.com. Recently Jim was inducted into The Statesmen of Jazz and is on the Board of Directors for the newly formed Jazz Education Network (JEN). Jim’s performance back-ground includes concert dates with Clark Terry, Buddy DeFranco, Shelly Berg, Wayne Bergeron, Tom Scott, Louis Bellson, Bobby Watson, Jeff Hamilton, Tim Ries, Bill Watrous, Mulgrew Miller, Randy Brecker, Marilyn Maye, Gregg Field, Mike Metheny, Steve Wiest, Scott Whitfield, and an appearance before former President Bill Clinton. www.jimwidnerbigband.com.
