Frank Puzzullo has more than his fair share of experience in the world of jazz music.
He has appeared with a number of different performers throughout his life, including Woody Herman, Ray Brown, James Moody and Art Pepper. He played alongside Ray Brown at Lu and Charlie's, a famous New Orleans jazz club. He has even recorded an album of his own original music titled "Coaches Choice," an album through ARTCO Records.
All of his experiences, including his performance tonight at 8 in Choral Hall, have been ways for him to meet new people and get closer to others.
"It's a good way to renew acquaintances," Puzzullo, an associate professor of jazz piano, said.
An all-star lineup of musicians, who have never performed at Ball State together, will be joining him: Walt Weiskopf, playing the tenor saxophone; Dennis Carroll, playing double bass; Joel Spencer, playing drums; and Bethany Bredehoft, providing jazz vocals.
Mark Buselli, director of jazz studies, has been working with Puzzullo for three years, and is excited about the performance.
"When you have a lineup of this caliber, expect magical things to happen," Buselli said.
Along with these five performers, Buselli will be playing an original piece of his own on trumpet, titled "Lady of the Sands."
Like Buselli's piece, all the works in the performance are original compositions; Either Puzzullo or Weiskopf wrote the pieces.
"He's probably one of the best 8 or 9 or 10 saxophone players in the world," Puzzullo said.
Of the pieces Puzzullo composed, one is a ballad, another is a Latin tune and the rest are up-tempo tunes. Puzzullo said he feels the combination is a good one for the show.
"There's quite a variety of original music," Puzzullo said.
Just as Puzzullo lacks no passion for the jazz genre, he lacks no enthusiasm for tonight's performance.
"It's just going to be great to play with such marvelous musicians who have been doing this for a long time," Puzzullo said.
Jazz is a spontaneous music, he said, and therefore, people never know exactly what to expect; It's never played exactly the same way twice.
"But that's the beauty of it," Puzzullo said.
Puzzullo also performs nationally and has recently constructed a new live CD. The CD consists of original compositions he has written and played. In the last decade, he has also performed at the Malibu Jazz Supper Club in Indianapolis and the New York Jazz Festival.
Jazz has been part of Puzzullo's life since he was a child.
Growing up, Puzzullo's father was a musician. His father played the guitar and sang, and had a great interest in jazz music, Puzzullo said. From time to time, his father would invite famous musicians over to the house following a show the two had seen. Puzzullo would meet the musicians and listen to them play.
Being around the musicians and being able to talk with them really influenced his musical life and his movement into jazz, he said.
"It's the only true American art form," Puzzullo said.
More than that, Puzzullo said jazz really takes the best out of various genres and combines it into one.
"It's an amalgamation of many different kinds of music," he said.
Following his upbringing in Syracuse, N.Y., Puzzullo played semi-professional baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals' farm team. He then attended Murray State University in Kentucky to receive his undergraduate and graduate degrees in music education.
In the 1970s, Puzzullo made his way to New Orleans, where he played piano for the Al Belletto Band. At this time, he was also composing his album "Coaches Choice." Later, Loyola University requested that Puzzullo come and direct its jazz department. He was able to conduct research and develop a jazz studies program within the university.
In 1982, Puzzullo joined the Ball State University School of Music staff. He teaches jazz piano and jazz studies in history, appreciation and improvisation.
"The emphasis on jazz is the art of improvisation," Puzzullo said.
Along with being a professor, Puzzullo also gives lessons to students. Katie Major, a junior photography major and a jazz and commercial music minor, has been taking jazz voice lessons with Puzzullo for two and a half years. Voice is not Puzzullo's primary focus, but Major said a lot of the elements in jazz on the piano still apply in voice, and he accompanies her in her singing.
"It's always an interesting half hour of my week," Major said. "It's always something new with Frank."
Major has not only learned about music in her life; from Puzzullo, she has learned one big life lesson.
"Just to put your heart and soul into everything you do, music or not," Major said.
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