LAUREN RONGO, ARLENE MCDANIEL, ED FEDEWA, ADAM RONGO and IAN LAVINE

No cover charge, come jam with us!

LAUREN RONGO 
Lauren went to Michigan State University and received her Bachelors in music ed and flute performance. After graduation she moved to NYC and did some graduate work at Manhattan School of Music where she studied with the renowned Harold Bennett. Lauren taught at the Roosa School of Music in Brooklyn. She also free lanced in NYC playing in the New York Sinfonia and the Brooklyn Philharmonia and severely other classical groups. She ventured into jazz and found Nova Jazz, her late husband's group. Lauren learned to play jazz on the gigs. Nova Jazz played all over NYC an won the Eubie Blake Jazz Award in 1979. The Rongos moved to Lansing in 1980 and then played all over Lansing. They were an integral part in starting the Lansing Jazz Festival in the mid eighties. Then they moved to Essexville and Lauren taught flute at SVSU for several years and was a member of the Midland Symphony, Flutee, and The Valley Wind Quintet. March of 2018 Lauren moved back to Lansing and is gigging around town mostly with Shenanigans. 

ARLENE MCDANIEL
Arlene is an experienced jazz pianist, performing and teaching in the Mid-Michigan area and beyond for over 3 decades. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Theory & Composition from MSU in 1984. Arlene performs at a variety of venues as a soloist, combo leader, and side woman. Notable artists include clarinetist Dave Bennett, vocalist Sunny Wilkinson, The Lansing Symphony Jazz Band, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, The Pied Pipers, and the Frankie Valli touring group Let's Hang On. Arlene is on the adjunct faculty at Hillsdale College as a jazz piano instructor and member of the faculty jazz ensemble The Hillcats. She also is on faculty at the MSU Community Music School, and teaches out of her home studio. Arlene’s CD (Timeless, 2009) has received airplay nationwide and is currently available online or from the artist. The bulk of the recording contains original compositions.


ED FEDEWA

Ed Fedewa is an instructor of classical, jazz, and electric bass at the Michigan State University Community Music School. He received his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Bass Performance. While at Michigan State University, Ed was awarded the Outstanding Performance award from the Notre Dame Jazz Fest. He has performed with the Grand Rapids Symphony, as the principle bassist for the Lansing Symphony, and as a substitute for the Flint Symphony. Ed has been an instructor at Lansing Community College, Central Michigan University and Albion College.


ADAM RONGO

Up and coming alto saxophonist, Adam Rongo has been playing music since childhood. He attended the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy, and quickly took to jazz. He then moved to Chicago to study with Mike Smith, an alto saxophonist who has shared the stage with Frank Sinatra, Harry Connick Jr., Nat Adderley, and many others. Adam holds a Masters degree in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University, where he studied with Diego Rivera, Rodney Whitaker, Etienne Charles, and Michael Dease.

While at MSU, Adam received a scholarship to attend the Keep An Eye Summer Jazz Workshop in Amsterdam to study with Dick Oatts. In 2012 Adam placed 2nd in the Vandoren Emerging Artist Competition, was selected as a finalist at the North American Saxophone Alliance Jazz Competition in Tempe Arizona, and also received a Downbeat Student Music Award as an Outstanding Soloist in the Graduate category.

Adam has since moved to New York City, and has quickly established a reputation as both a sideman and band leader. He has performed with a variety of great musicians, including Michael Dease and Ulysses Owens Jr., at well known venues such as Smalls Jazz Club, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, and the Bimhuis in Amsterdam. He recently released his debut album, "Tell Your Story" on the D-Clef Record Label in October of 2013. The album features stellar musicians, including: Michael Dease, Etienne Charles, Emmet Cohen, Randy Napoleon, Behn Gillece, Ulysses Owens Jr. and Rodney Whitaker.

"I truly feel that this debut recording of Adam Rongo is going to send a message to the Jazz world that the spirit of so many great voices on the Alto Saxophone is alive, well, and in great hands!" - Ulysses Owens Jr.

IAN LAVINE

Percussionist Ian LeVine of Williamston has amassed over 40 years of musical performance experience. Ian has been an active member of the mid-Michigan arts community since 1979. After high school he initially attended Wayne State by day while playing evening club dates and various one-nighters in the metro Detroit area. After transferring to MSU he remained a member of MSU Jazz Band I under the direction of Ron Newman for nearly 5 years. This is where Ian’s formative jazz performance experiences occurred in concert big band and more intimate small group jazz contexts. Known as a versatile and supportive player, Ian has appeared throughout the midwest in wide-ranging musical circumstances involving regional jazz festivals including those at Aquinas College, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Montreux-Detroit, Schoolcraft College, The Michigan Festival, Lansing Old Town, East Lansing Summer Solstice and Flint; at The Grand Hotel subbing with the Jimmy Dorsey and Legends of Swing big bands to local halls, rock and jazz bars with combos; professional and community theaters and houses of worship; to Spartan Stadium and the Breslin Center with the MSU alumni band. Ian’s already lengthy musical vita continues to grow. Present involvements include ongoing freelance gigging; continuation as a founding member of the Arlene McDaniel trio and quintet; pit work with the Lansing Community College theater department; facilitating Lansing area drum circles; co-producing Mike Daniels’ annual LaBatterie drum show at LCC, local performance as a member of classic rock/pop group “The Capital Sundogs”, roots music band “The Further Adventure of Fat Boy and Jive Turkey”, and drummer for acclaimed Michigan crooner Ryan DeHues. Ian can be heard on jazz CD recordings by The Arlene McDaniel Trio – “Timeless” (2009) and Southeastern Michigan vocalist Danielle Blanchard - “Jazz Portrait” (2001).