Lori Joyner

    The final concert of the 2015-16 season of St. Paul’s Music Series will feature a few friends – Carey Smith and Friends.

    The Thursday concert will be the music series’ Wine & Cheese event and will begin at 5:15 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church

    Following are brief bios provided by the artists:

Carey Smith

    The 2016 version of the group finds Carey Smith on piano and as composer. He is retired after finishing his 35th year at Meridian Community College as Director of Bands and music instructor.

    Smith has worked and performed with countless name performers and clinicians in the jazz idiom during his career. As well as his duties at the college he has been orchestra conductor for the Meridian Little Theater since 1985. A CD of his original music was released with the Meridian Symphony Orchestra in 2004. His ensemble is currently working on a jazz CD of all original material for release this year.

    Smith’s “2nd Suite for Jazz Quartet and Orchestra” had its world premiere in Albany, Ga. In 2010, Smith was invited by the International Conductors Guild to have the “2nd Suite” recognized as a new composition of merit in Copenhagen, Denmark. While there, he was honored to be part of the conductor and composers group given an audience with Queen Margrethe II.

    The entire 2009-10 season of the MSO was based around the four movements of his “Elements” symphony, with the movements being the basis for each concert; Air, Water, Fire and Earth. The entire work was premiered in February 2011 for the symphonies 50th anniversary with Itzak Perlman as featured soloist on that concert.     The Sesquicentennial Celebration of Meridian gave Smith a commission that was premiered on the first concert in September 2010, “Meridian-150.” Smith just completed a two-year project, his “Third Suite for Jazz Sextet and Orchestra” in five movements with a vocalist performing three of the movements. Carey’s daily ritual after fighting 30 minutes on his Schwinn Air-Dyne is either turning old hand manuscripts into Sibelius files or writing something new.

Scott Kratzer

    Scott Kratzer has played drums for the group since the mid-1980s. Kratzer is originally from Dempolis, Ala., and is currently band director at the highly successful Southeast Lauderdale High School Band Program.

    Kratzer is one of the busiest jazz drummers in Southeastern Mississippi, and for good reason. A solid swing groove and an uncanny ear, makes him the first-call drummer for most area jazz outings. An accomplished percussionist in both jazz and symphonic genres, Kratzer has worked with world-class players at marquee venues all over the U.S., including Carnegie Hall, where he shared the bill with the Count Basie Orchestra. In his 30-plus years of playing, he has performed with such jazz greats as Gary Foster, Steve Rudolph, Bobby Shew, Marvin Stamm, Chris Vadala, Carl Fontana, Fred Hirsch, Butch Miles, Hal Galper, Birch Johnson, J.B. Scott and Lisa Kelly, Bill Prince, Kathy Kosins and Bill Evans (saxophone).  He has also studied drum set with Joe Morello, Butch Miles, Alan Dawson, Michael Derosier, and Danny Gottlieb. Scott has been featured soloist with both the Albany, Ga. Symphony and the Meridian Symphony Orchestra playing both Suites for Jazz group and Orchestra, compositions by Smith.

Steve Moffett

    Steve Moffett, saxophonist, has freelanced in jazz, commercial, theatre, and symphonic music for more than 20 years on saxophone, flutes and clarinets.

    Over the years, Moffett has shared the stage with such greats as Aretha Franklin, Arturo Sandoval, the Four Tops, the Dorsey Orchestra’s and the Savannah Symphony, to name a few. Moffett has played extensively in theatre orchestras and at numerous weddings and receptions. He studied jazz with master saxophonist Bunky Green at the University of North Florida.

    Moffett recently finished his master of woodwind pedagogy at the University of Southern Mississippi. He is currently teaching woodwinds and music appreciation at East Central Community College.

Lee Kornegay

    Lee Kornegay, trumpet, is originally from Jackson, where he graduated from Wingfield High School. Kornegay earned the bachelor of music education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, and later attended the University of North Texas, in Denton, Texas, where he received the master of music education degree, while engaged as a graduate assistant of jazz studies. In 2003, Kornegay received the doctor of musical arts degree in trumpet performance & pedagogy from the University of Southern Mississippi.

    Kornegay’s musical career spans more than 25 years. As a professional musician, he has performed in various show business meccas, such as, Reno/Tahoe, Nev., Atlantic City, N.J., Orlando, Fla. and Branson, Mo. He has toured both nationally and internationally.

    Kornegay’s horn can be heard on the platinum recordings, “Mr. Big Stuff

and Paul Simon’s Rhymin’ With Simon album. He has performed with a variety of musical groups, such as The Temptations, The O’Jays, Four Tops, the Lawrence Welk Orchestra, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Burt Bacharach, Wayne Newton, Sammy Davis Jr. and a host of other celebrities.

    After returning to Mississippi in 2004, Dr. Kornegay was employed as an adjunct music professor at Mississippi College, where he taught applied trumpet, brass methods, and directed the jazz ensemble. From 2008-2010, Dr. Kornegay served as the Assistant Professor of Music Industry at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, SC. Lee is in demand as a lead and jazz trumpeter, as well as an active instructor, arranger, contractor, and clinician.

Will Roland

    Will Roland, bassist and composer, is originally from Southern California. While attending Cal State University-Bakersfield, he joined the band of world-renowned, avant-garde composer Doug Davis. Recently, Roland received national attention with the preliminary release of “At the Beach.”

    Roland currently lives in Meridian with his wife, Cindy, and their two children, Christopher and Emily. He owns his own consulting business, aptly named Gracenotes Consulting Inc. which specializes in design services in architectural acoustics, sound reinforcement and integrated audio visual technology. Roland was the main consultant for the Riley Center.

Lori Joyner

    Originally from Quitman, Lori Leanne Joyner recently completed the doctoral program in vocal performance and pedagogy at the University of Southern Mississippi. She completed a master of music in choral conducting and a bachelor of music in vocal performance at the University of Mississippi.

    While at USM, Joyner performed a variety of operatic roles, such as Rosalinda in Strauss’s “Die Fledermaus,” Konigin der Nacht in Mozart’s “Die Zauberflote,” Donna Elvira in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” and Fire/Princess/Nightingale in Ravel’s “L’Enfant et les sortileges.” She was also a featured soloist in “Aria: Cirque de la Symphonie,” Bach’s “B Minor Mass,” Haydn’s “The Creation,” Mendelssohn’s “Hymn of Praise,” Brahm’s “Ein Deutches Requiem,” Scarlatti’s “Dixit Dominus” and was a first-prize winner of the William T. Gower Concerto Competition.

    In addition to her operatic repertoire, Joyner is an avid theatrical set painting and design artist. Her work has been featured in Cosi fan tutte, Die Fledermaus, Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, Tosca, and H.M.S. Pinafore.

Program

    The evening’s program will be selected from the following:

    After You’ve Gone – Turner Layton

    How My Heart Sings – Earl Zindars

    (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons – Deek Watson & Pat Best

    I Remember Clifford – .Benny Golson

    (If You Can’t Sing It) You’ll Have to Swing It…..Sam Coslow

    I’ll Remember April -Gene de Paul

    Lonely Room – .Carey M. Smith                                     

    Look to the Sky – Antonio Carlos Jobim

    My Heart Belongs to Daddy – Cole Porter

    My One and Only Love – Guy Wood

    Peri’s Scope – Bill Evans

    Seven Steps to Heaven – Miles Davis

    Tight Squeeze – Carey M. Smith                                     

    23rd Ave. Shuffle – Carey M. Smith

    You Can’t Touch A Rainbow – Carey M. Smith

About the music series

    An opener with a Broadway kick, followed by a virtuoso performance on piano has set the tone for the 2015-16 season of the St. Paul’s Music Series.    Presented by Hardy and Dottye Graham, the Music Series’ current season has included a year of jazz, Christmas brass and more. The series features two concerts – the first and last – that start at 5:15 p.m. for after-work enjoyment, complete with hors d’oeuvres and libations. The other concerts are at 12:05 p.m. — perfect for a lunch getaway and listeners are encouraged to bring their favorite eats. All concerts are held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Meridian.

    The first concert, “A Night of Broadway with Adams,” featured Fannin native John Christopher Adams, a dynamic tenor who, according to Opera News, is quickly establishing himself on stages around the world with his “major, stunning voice.” Listeners have applauded Adams for his “ability to pour his heart and soul into every phrase.”