International Jazz Day Concert

This concert will feature the Chris DeVito Trio with John Lenis, on bass Gavin Davies on drums and special guest artist Mayuko Abe on trumpet. In addition, students from Rutgers Mason Gross School of Music will be joining the performance at a jam session beginning at 8:30pm. Mayuko is a visiting jazz artist from Japan who is earning her graduate degree at William Paterson College. It is fitting that this rising star jazz artist is joining us on April 30th, which has been designated by UNESCO as International Jazz Day and the final day of April, designated as “Jazz Appreciation Month”, or “JAM” by the Smithsonian Institute.

John Lenis plays acoustic bass; he has been active on the N.Y. jazz scene for the past 20 years, performing and recording as a long-time member of ensembles led by such accomplished artists as Nobuki Takamen, Hyeseon Hong, Noshir Mody, and Julia Barry. In addition to appearances at many of the areas renowned clubs and festivals, John has toured the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and extensively in Japan.

Gavin Davies has been an active drummer in the N.J. music scene for the past 30 years. He holds a degree in Studio Music and Jazz from the University of Miami and later earned his N.J. teaching certificate from N.J. City University. He subsequently taught music in the N.J. public schools for 25 years.

Mayuko Abe is a jazz musician from Miyagi, Japan, currently pursuing a graduate degree at William Paterson University. She began playing trumpet at age 9. She studied jazz at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music for her undergrad. She graduated with a degree in jazz in 2016 and has since performed with some of Japan’s top artists and others at leading jazz venues around the world including Denver, Seattle, and New Orleans. In addition to performing, she has been an active trumpet instructor since 2017.

Chris DeVito is a jazz pianist born in NYC to a family of avid jazz fans and musicians and has been playing regularly since age 3. He has been performing for many years both as a leader and sideman at various jazz venues, restaurants, churches, and private events throughout the greater NYC metro area with many of the area’s finest jazz artists.