Jazz Camp Clinicians

Chris Merz, saxophone
Camp Director

A highly sought-after clinician, Chris Merz has adjudicated at festivals in Iowa, Minnesota, Idaho, Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Virginia, and is the Director of Jazz Studies at UNI. Recent performance experience includes Aretha Franklin, Kenny Wheeler, and Paul McKee, as well as leading his own groups, The X-tet (a 12-piece big band) and Equilateral.

Bob Dunn, guitar

UNI's Jazz and Classical Guitar Instructor Robert Dunn also teaches at Grinnell and Wartburg colleges. Mr. Dunn has taught at the UNI Jazz Combo Camp, the SWCC Jazz Camp, and has served as an adjudicator or guest soloist at the Coe Jazz Summit, the Hoover Jazz Festival, and NEIBA and SCIBA jazz contests. He has performed in the pit orchestra for touring productions of Chicago, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, 42nd Street, Copacabana, and Annie. He is an active performer on guitar and electric bass in Northeast Iowa.

Chris Buckholz, trombone

Chris Buckholz holds degrees from Wake Forest, Yale, and the University of Michigan. He currently is an Assistant Professor of Trombone at the University of Northern Iowa. He also has been on the faculty at Bowling Green State University and was the lead trombonist for the Army Jazz Ambassadors in Washington, D.C. Buckholz has had an extensive freelance career, performing with Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Bob Hope, Smokey Robinson, Vince Gill, and many others. He also toured internationally and recorded with The Four Tops.

Robert Washut, piano

Robert Washut is Professor of Music at the University of Northern Iowa, where he served as Director of Jazz Studies for more than 20 years. An accomplished jazz composer and arranger, Washut has received numerous commissions from collegiate jazz ensembles, professional jazz artists and symphony orchestras. During his 22 years as director of the award-winning UNI Jazz Band One, Washut recorded 11 CDs, toured Europe three times, received numerous "Outstanding Band" recognitions in collegiate jazz festivals throughout the Midwest, and was awarded three "Outstanding Performance" citations in DownBeat's annual Student Music awards. Dr. Washut founded and performs with the Latin jazz band, Orquesta Alto Maiz. In 1996 he was selected as Outstanding Teacher at UNI and in 2003 was inducted into the Iowa IAJE Hall of Fame.

Dave Rezek, trumpet
Dave Rezek earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Northern Iowa and his Master of Music in Jazz Performance degree from New England Conservatory. He has been a member of the large groups Indigo Inventions and Secret Society, while also making appearances throughout New England and New York with numerous other innovative groups, and studying and/or performing with Bob Brookmeyer, Danilo Perez, John McNeil, Ingrid Jensen, and David Smith, among many others, along the way. Rezek was also a frequent sub on Broadway, most often as a designated sub for Jersey Boys, with whom he performed onstage for the cast’s multi-award winning 2006 Tony Awards appearance. In 2007, he and his family returned to Des Moines, where he is debuting his various groups, is a much sought-after clinician and adjudicator, plays regularly with the Des Moines Band and Max Wellman Quintet, and maintains a large trumpet studio.

Mark Urness , bass

Mark Urness is a versatile bassist, composer, and educator. His diverse performance experience encompasses orchestral, chamber, jazz, salsa, and solo playing. Recent performances include appearances with Jazz greats Art Lande, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Howard Levy, Russ Johnson, and Joe Locke.  He is heard frequently on Wisconsin Public Radio as a chamber musician and soloist.  He was awarded First Prize in the International Society of Bassists Jazz Competition and performed with Bill Mays and Tim Froncek at the 2001 ISB Convention. Mark is currently an Assistant Professor at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. Mark received a Master of Music in double bass performance from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, a Bachelor of Arts in music from the University of Northern Iowa, and studied music and computer science at the University of Iowa.

Tom Giampietro, drums

Tom Giampietro is currently on faculty at Vanderbilt University, Middle Tennessee State University, and UNI as drum set instructor. He is also a classroom instructor at the Nashville Jazz Workshop. He has toured or recorded with Jeff Coffin, Liz Johnson, Beegie Adair, Ricky Woodard and the award-winning University of Northern Iowa Jazz Band One.