JazzRules

The Buttonwood Tree presents the musical showcase of local jazz group JazzRules, a quintet featuring members of the well-known Secondary Messengers.

Don Anderson (trumpet, flugelhorn, EVI) hails from Virginia and moved to Massachusetts to embrace the icy winters. He enjoys playing a variety of styles and has played with numerous groups including Right Time (World Beat), Dr. Burma (R&B), Hip Socket, New England Transcendental Brass Band, Moonlight Davis (soul), Vermont Jazz Center Big Band, Four N More (jazz), O-Tones (swing), Paule Kelley (pop), A Team (rock), Casual Sextet (jazz/funk), Jim’s Big Ego (pop), JP Tropicale (afro/caribbean). He currently performs with the Julian Gerstin Sextet, the Green Street Quintet, the Jazz Marauders, the Pangeans, Zara Bode’s Little Big Band, and Jazz Rules.

Bill Matthews, a native of Massachusetts, has studied jazz drumming intensely over the last 40 years. He studied at the University of Massachusetts, at the Drummer’s Collective in NYC, clinics with Dave Weckel and Dennis Chambers, among others and for 20 years with the late master teacher and drummer Bob Gullotti from Berklee University. Bill played in the Greenfield Community College big band, DBRAZZ trio, EJQ quartet, the Secondary Messengers quintet, and currently with the Off Minor Trio and JazzRules quintet. Bill has played in numerous venues all of the Pioneer Valley. He plays Zildjian cymbals and Eames drums.

Ken Forfia has participated in all aspects of music making in both the Boston and Western MA areas for more than 50 yrs. Performing professionally in classical, pop, and jazz styles he has also toured nationally. He is an experienced church musician and as an educator has taught both privately and at many institutions at the college level for 30 yrs. He is currently affiliated with a number of different jazz and pop groups.

Mark Dunlop has studied double bass with accomplished NYC Bassists, Santi DeBriano and Joe Fonda, and composition and Linear Jazz Improvisation with long-time music mentor, Dr. Ed Byrne. Mark co- leads The Interplay Jazz Band and performs or has performed with numerous bands including Pamela Means Jazz Project, Secondary Messengers, The Ceila Situation, Hip To The Jive, Berkshire Jazz Underground, InnerAction, Jazz On The Rocks, Jazz Rules, Ed Byrne and Eastern Standard Time, InterTrip, TenorPlay+3, Juke Joint Jazz, Clay Jazz Band, Counterpoise, DeSesa Jazz Quartet, Disciples Of Cool, Frain Dunlap Jazz Trip, John Waynelovich, The Way, The Show, Swings Both Ways, The Secondary Messengers, Trio KDP, Raised to the 5 th , Valley Jazz Ensemble, Matthias Ockert, and You’re A Mean One throughout New England and New York.

Mark Weissman is a professional sax player who has been playing in the New England area for over 30 years. He has performed with Gary Smulyan, Billy Pierce, Greg Hopkins, Bucky Pizzarelli, the Mingus Band, and many others. As a member of the Air Force, Mark has toured all over the world and played in festivals, including the Monterey Jazz Festival. Mark holds jazz degrees from Westfield State University, University of Massachusetts, and New England Conservatory. He has studied with Jerry Bergonzi, Hal Crook, Yuseff Lateef, and Ken Radnofsky. He currently teaches saxophone and woodwinds at Assumption College.