Tue Mar 31
Known for his versatility as a guitarist, Gerry Kunkel has performed extensively in the jazz, contemporary and classical music fields. His credits include performances with Aretha Franklin, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra,the National Symphony Orchestra, Diane Reeves, Clark Terry, Ron Carter, Patrice Rushen, Grover Washington, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Terrell Stafford, Terri-Lynn Carrington, and many more. Washington, DC has been his home since the early 80’s when he arrived on the scene with the jazz fusion band Natural Bridge. He has played on numerous recordings, national television and radio jingles, and short and full length films, as well as in the pit for many fine productions in the rich musical theater scene of D.C.
As an educator, he has been on the faculty of the University of Maryland, teaching jazz guitar, jazz combo, advanced improv and jazz pedagogy for almost 30 joyful years. Gerry retired from Howard University after 25 heart-felt years of teaching classical and jazz guitar. It has been an honor and privilege to teach the many students who have enriched his life and continue to inspire him with their talent, hard work and dedication.
JazzyCopia has evolved over the past few years and is comprised of current and former faculty, as well as alumni, of the University of Maryland Music Department. We have had the opportunity to explore a cornucopia of jazz styles that has allowed eight individual voices to dynamically and synergistically contribute to a group featured regularly in concert at NIH. It is Gerry’s great pleasure to welcome some of the area’s best: Jon Ozment on piano, Tom Baldwin on bass, Joey Antico on drums, Tim Powell on saxophone, Brent Madsen on trumpet, former Natural Bridge bandmate percussionist Steve Bloom, and the internationally renowned and locally loved vocalist Lena Seikaly.