Friends, please join us on Sunday, January 21, 2018, at 3 pm for the Fifth Annual Mark Flugge Memorial Jazz Concert! It will be held at Mees Hall, Capital University. This year's concert features guest piano soloist Bill Dobbins with the Mark Flugge Memorial Big Band, led by Rob Parton, and assisted by Vaughn Wiester. The Big Band's performance will be recorded and included in Lisa Jelle's next CD in the Mark Flugge Remembered series (release date 2019). Arrangements by Bill Dobbins ("Around Every Corner"), Bob Larson ("Action Planet", "Feeling, Not Words"), Kim Pensyl ("Beatrice, the Cat"), Paul Ferguson ("Dear Bill"), and Mark Lopeman ("February's Promise") will close out the concert's second half.
In November 2016, the Mark Flugge Memorial Fund released the CD A Chamber Jazz Christmas: Mark Flugge Remembered. It has been enthusiastically received; copies are for sale in Mees Lobby at the Memorial Concert, along with Mark Flugge Remembered: Jazz Originals & Standards (2015), Waltz into Madness (Lisa's 2012 release, which includes Mark's music); Sacred Jazz and Spirituals (2008); In Love, In Blue (2007); Familiarity (2003); and February's Promise (2002).
Congratulations to the 2018 recipient of the Capital University Mark Flugge Jazz Award, saxophonist Steven Sinclair! Steven is the student of Capital saxophone professor Dr. Michael Cox; we are delighted to recognize Steven on January 21, and feature his combo in this concert. Previous awardees are trumpeter Steven Jacobs (2015), bassist Marty Quinn (2016), and pianist Julian Dittmer (2017).
The Mark Flugge Memorial Fund's commission from Andy Frederick will be premiered by the PANdemonium4 Flute Quartet (Kimberlee Goodman, Lindsey Goodman, Lisa Jelle, Alison Brown Sincoff) on January 21st. Bassist Andy Woodson and percussionist Chris Carmean will join us. "Flugge Jazz Fantasy" for flute quartet includes "Ahmad", "The Letter", and "Samba Fantasy". PAN4 will also perform this work on upcoming concerts at Capital University (1/31 7:30 pm, NOW Festival, Huntington Recital Hall, free), Otterbein College (2/24 8:00 pm), and for the Southeast Michigan Flute Association (Plymouth, MI) (2/25 2:00 pm). We will record this piece in March, and it will be included on Bolling and Beyond: Jazz-Inspired Flute. Lisa Jelle: Mark Flugge Remembered, release date 2019!
Another long-term project in the works is The Mark Flugge Songbook, which will include lead sheets of Mark's top tunes for gigging musicians. Please contact me at ljelle@capital.edu for suggestions on titles to include or other input. The main goal is to keep these great tunes in the repertoire of local musicians, and inspire them to create new forms of the pieces.
That’s all for now- I hope to see you at local live music events soon!
Lisa Jelle
Mark Flugge Memorial Fund, Director
Mark's CDs are now on sale through
Lisa Jelle, iTunes, CDBaby, Amazon.com, etc.
A Chamber Jazz Christmas: Mark Flugge Remembered (2016): Jazz combo and solo piano highlights from Mark's popular Christmas concerts at the Columbus Museum of Art. These are very special takes on holiday standards.
Mark Flugge Remembered: Jazz Originals & Standards (2015): 2-CD set of Mark's compositions and performances from the archives. Solo piano, combo, Vaughn Wiester's Famous Jazz Orchestra, QuintEssential Winds, and Chamber Jazz at the Museum performances. Includes Bill Dobbins' big band arrangement of "Around Every Corner", and the Rich Thompson Trio from the Eastman School of Music faculty.
Waltz into Madness (2012): Seven of Mark's compositions, arrangements, and performances, with flutist Lisa Jelle
Sacred Jazz and Spirituals (2008): A Service and CD with First Community Church Chancel Choir, featuring several of Mark's arrangements and performances, directed by Ron Jenkins
In Love, In Blue (2007): Solo Piano; Rhapsody in Blue, Cole Porter, Billy Strayhorn, Fats Waller, Johnny Hodges, and more
Familiarity (2003): Standards, originals, and "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square"; also featuring Gene Bertoncini and Michael Moore. This is NEWLY BACK IN PRINT!! contact Lisa Jelle to purchase your copy.
February's Promise (2002): jazz quintet original compositions, including Time's Horizon; February's Promise; The Borderland; Drivin' the Bus; The Letter; Autumn's Waltz; Soiree; Beatrice, The Cat; Around Every Corner; and Blessings. With Doug Richeson, Dave DeWitt, Dave Weinstock, Dane Richeson, Kim Pensyl, and Randy Mather.
Beloved jazz piano virtuoso, teacher, and composer Mark Flugge passed away in May 2014 after a 22-month battle with a debilitating hearing disorder. It was his fondest wish that his music would live on; this site is now dedicated to remembering his beautiful spirit and sharing his amazing music.
The purpose of the non-profit Mark Flugge Memorial Fund is to further Mark's musical and educational legacy. Major goals include the dissemination of Mark's recordings and sheet music, the establishment of the Capital University Mark Flugge Jazz Award, the continued performance of Mark's compositions and their arrangements in the widest possible variety of ensembles and venues, and the Annual Mark Flugge Memorial Concert. Please sign up for this website's mailing list to receive updates on music releases, publications, performances of Mark's music including the Annual Memorial Concert, and the Mark Flugge Scholarship.