David Ake - piano
David Ake, Associate Professor, holds a Ph.D. in musicology and an MA in ethnomusicology from UCLA, as well as degrees in jazz performance from the University of Miami (BM) and California Institute of the Arts (MFA). He authored the highly regarded book Jazz Cultures for the University of California Press, and his articles have appeared in such publications as Jazz Perspectives, American Music, the Journal of Musicological Research, and the Cambridge Companion to Jazz. Among his honors are the Society for American Music’s Wiley Housewright Dissertation Award, the Mousel-Feltner Award for Outstanding Research from the College of Arts and Science at the University of Nevada, Reno, as well as that University’s F. Donald Tibbitts Distinguished Teaching Award. As a pianist, Ake has worked alongside many of today’s outstanding improvising musicians and his playing and compositions appear on a number of recordings, including In Between, his first CD devoted entirely to solo piano, and Once and Again, his fourth release with The Collective.

Larry M. Engstrom - trumpet
Larry M. Engstrom, in his 18th year at the University of Nevada, Reno, serves as Director of the School of the Arts, and continues to teach applied trumpet. He is also the director of the University of Nevada, Reno Jazz Festival, and former president of the Nevada chapter of IAJE. In prior years, Dr. Engstrom was the director of UNR’s Jazz Lab I and Jazz Combo program, and he taught Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Arranging, and Jazz History. Dr. Engstrom received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from California State University at Fresno, and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in Trumpet Performance at the University of North Texas. Formerly jazz trumpet soloist with the North Texas State University One O'Clock Band, he is currently co-leader of the jazz group, The Collective (four CDs recorded to date, Once and Again, Boats, Contemplation, and North), a member of the Great Basin Brass Quintet, and he performs regularly with many other Northern Nevada music ensembles. From 1988-2001 he was Principal Trumpet with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra.

Peter Epstein - saxophone, Director of Jazz Studies
Peter Epstein began his career in 1984 in Portland, Oregon where he apprenticed with resident musicians like Nancy King and Glen Moore. After four years of studying jazz and various world music genres at California Institute of the Arts he moved to New York City in 1992. Since then he has appeared on over 30 recordings and has toured in more than 20 countries with artists including: Bobby Previte, Brad Shepik, Ralph Alessi, Michael Cain, Miroslav Tadic, Medeski, Martin, & Wood, Mike Stern, Steve Coleman, Jim Black, Ravi Coltrane, Uri Caine, Kadri Golpalnath, and many others. As a leader, Peter has released four albums for MA Recordings. His most recent album for MA, Old School, features Peter Erskine on drums and Scott Colley on Bass. Even more recent is Once and Again , the latest release from resident faculty ensemble, The Collective. Peter received a BFA in Jazz Performance from Cal Arts in 1992 and a Master of Music from UNR in 2004. Visit his website at http://www.peterepstein.com

Hans Halt - bass
Hans Halt holds his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from UNR and is a full time instructor of bass and jazz studies at the university. He is currently teaching Jazz Arranging, Jazz Composition, Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Keyboard Techniques and Applied Bass and Piano. Hans began playing professionally over 30 years ago in Buffalo, NY. In 1980, Hans moved to the San Francisco Bay area gaining experience playing with top Bay Area musicians, including Mark Levine and Pete Escovedo. Since moving to the Reno area in 1985, Hans has been an active performer and composer with a variety of creative groups, including the Afro-Cuban jazz group No Comprende, The Ed Corey Trio (CD-Modal Citizen), and the University of Nevada, Reno’s jazz faculty, The Collective, (CD's- North, Boats, Balance, Once and Again). He also performs with the Reno Philharmonic and the Reno Jazz Orchestra.

Andrew Heglund - drums
  Andrew Heglund is Assistant Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno where he teaches percussion, directs the UNR Percussion Ensemble and Jazz Big Band 1. Heglund holds a Doctor of Arts Degree in Music from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master's of Music Degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas.  Since moving to the Reno-Tahoe area in 1996, Heglund has performed with jazz artists Lee Konitz, Cedar Walton, Bobby Hutcherson, Bud Shank, Ravi Coltrane, Robin Eubanks, and Fred Hersch.  He also performs with the UNR faculty quintet The Collective, The Reno Jazz Orchestra, and the Ed Corey Trio.  Heglund has played on four CD's with the Collective (North, Boats, Balance, Once and Again) and one CD with the Ed Corey Trio (Modal Citizen). He also performs with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra and the Discover Music Percussion Ensemble.  Recently, Heglund was percussion soloist with the University Wind Ensemble for their performance of Joseph Schwantner's Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra.  Dr. Heglund is an active clinician/adjudicator in the Northern Nevada and Northern California areas and organizes the annual Northern Nevada Day of Percussion.

Ed Corey - guitar
Ed Corey has taught music at the post secondary level for 18 years and is currently instructor of guitar and guitar ensemble director at the University of Nevada, Reno. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of New Hampshire, Durham and received his master's degree from California State University, Sacramento. Corey has performed for 35 years as a jazz guitarist throughout the country, and has also performed for many years with casino showroom orchestras in Reno. Ed presently performs in the Reno/Tahoe area with his own jazz guitar trio.