Matthew Cremisio, Vice President    

Matthew Cremisio received his Bachelor's of Music from The Crane School Of Music, Potsdam, New York and a Mas ters of Music in Jazz Studies from The College of Saint Rose, Albany, New York. While completing his Masters he received additional drumset instruction and musical studies from The Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY.  His teachers have included, Jim Petercsak, Gary France, Frank Gibson, Jr. and Rich Thompson.  Mr. Cremisio has toured internationally including Australia, Germany and Switzerland as a percussionist and educator, and has performed for Dolphin Cruise Lines in Miami, Florida.  

He has also entertained and shared the stage with numerous performers including Connie Francis, the Lawrence Welk Show, Jeff Jarvis, Donna Cherry (Barry Manilow), Kim Nazarian (New York Voices), Jay Ashby, Englebert Humperdink, Dale Barlow, Mel Martin, John Fedchock, Jim Snidero, Helen Matthews, James Morrison, Wynton Marsalis, and the National Broadway Tour Productions of "Grease" and "Carousel."  Mr. Cremisio completed coursework at North Adams State College, Massachusetts, and currently holds New York State permanent certification in School District Educational Administration.

Mr. Cremisio is currently Music Supervisor for the Shenendehowa Central School District in Clifton Park, New York, and on the music faculty at The College of Saint Rose.   He has been invited to conduct and adjudicate at both local and regional music festivals as well as present numerous drumset clinics and rhythm section workshops on behalf of CASDA, NYSSMA, PAS and IAJE.  In addition, Matthew has written numerous reviews of various performance and educational literature for Jazz Player magazine and Warner Bros. publications.   In 1999 Mr. Cremisio presented a series of rhythm section workshops and guest artist performances throughout Switzerland as part of a tour with the Empire State Youth Jazz Ensemble.   

 Matthew has been appointed to the Educational Advisory Board with the Pro-Mark Corporation and also invited to join the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) National Drumset E ducation Committee.  As a performing artist and educator, Mr. Cremisio is sponsored by the Yamaha Corporation Of America, Pro-Mark Corporation and Sabian Cymbals. 

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    Kevin Dorsey, Treasurer    

Kevin Dorsey is an in-demand bassist and tuba player in the Central New York area. He holds a Masters of Music in Studio Jazz Writing from the University of Miami and a Bachelors of Music in Music Education with a Performers Certificate from the Crane School of Music. His composition teachers include Gary Lindsay, Ron Miller and Bret Zvacek. Kevin has performed with such diverse modern jazz musicians as Miguel Zenon, Dave Samuels and Steve Slagle, avant garde musicians Steve Swell, Hamid Drake, Jalil Moondrake and William Parker, opera singer N'Kenge Simpson-Hoffman and the Israeli ensemble Simply Tsfat.

Kevin teaches at LeMoyne College, Cayuga Community College and Seymour Magnet School. He is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. He is the Artistic Director of the Central New York Composer's Collective.

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    Larry Luttinger, Executive Treasurer    

Larry Luttinger is eclectically employed as percussionist, music educator and arts administrator throughout Upstate New York. He is the Executive Director of the Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation, and is the CNY Jazz Orchestra drummer. He is also a member of the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with many well known jazz artists, including Rob McConnell, Clark Terry, Grady Tate, Frank Foster, Denis DiBlasio, Doc Severinson, Bucky Pizzarelli and Howard Alden, Lorne Lofsky, Lena Horne, Maxine Sullivan, Marian McPartland, The Four Freshmen, Joe DiOrio, Ted Piltzecker, and Chuck and Gap Mangione. He has more than fifty show credits including Sugar Babies, Grand Hotel, City of Angels, Will Rogers Follies, Ben Vereen, Suzanne Somers and Johnny Mathis. He has toured or performed with dozens of rock personalities, including Chuck Berry, Del Shannon, Chubby Checker, Petula Clark, and the Moody Blues. He holds a Master of Music degree in Percussion Performance from Syracuse University and has served as Chairman of the S.U. Music Industry Department and Director of S.U. Jazz Ensembles. He currently maintains teaching studios at Syracuse University and Onondaga Community College. He is Executive Treasurer of the IAJE-NYS and serves on the Executive Board of Local 78, AFM.

He currently lives in Liverpool, NY with his wife Margaret and sons Jake and Max.

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    Michael Carbone, Secretary    

Michael Carbone is a Lecturer of Music and the Director of Jazz Studies at Binghamton University (Jazz Ensemble Director, Jazz Improvisation). He holds a BME from the Crane School of Music and a MM (saxophone performance) from Binghamton University, with private study with Dr. James Stoltie, J.R. Montrose and April Lucas. Michael is the Director of middle school concert band and jazz ensemble in the Johnson City School District. He is also a private saxophone and jazz improvisation instructor. He's a member of Al Hamme's Music Unlimited/Swing Street jazz groups, Danny D'Imperio's Big Band Bloviation, and leader of contemporary jazz group Cosa Nova.

He has served as guest Jazz Ensemble conductor for Broome, Seneca, and Tompkins County Music Educators Festivals, and as Saxophone/Jazz Improvisation Instructor for NYS School of Music of the Arts. He has appeared with numerous artists, including Al Martino, Natalie Cole, Tommy Tune, Mel Torme, Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Engelbert Humperdinck, Slam Stewart, Nick Brignola, Steve Gilmore, Bill Carter and The Presbybop Quartet, Tom Whaley, Duffy Jackson, Jeff Jarvis, The Central New York Big Band, and Jacque Washington. He has been a member of the Binghamton University music faculty since 1997.

Mike currently performs in the Binghamton, NY area with the following groups: Miles Ahead, The Taze Yanick Group, Sonando, Cosa Nova, and Splash.

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    Bret Zvacek, Past President    

Bret Zvacek is Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at The Crane School of Music, Potsdam, New York, and has also served as an adjunct faculty member of the Jazz Studies department at McGill University, Montreal. He is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, 2000. He is in demand as a clinician, serving on the staff of numerous summer jazz camps, and has given workshops at several state conferences. Bret was a member of the Jazz Studies Faculty at the University of North Texas, where he taught improvisation and ensembles, and founded the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra. Bret Zvacek is also president-elect of the New York State unit of the International Association for Jazz Education.

Bret has shared the stage with numerous jazz artists including Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler, Slide Hampton, Bob Mintzer, Conte Candoli, The Woody Herman Orchestra, The Army Jazz Ambassadors, and many others. Bret is a graduate of the University of North Texas, where he was a member of the renowned One O’clock Lab Band. Bret Zvacek is a Yamaha performing artist.

Bret Zvacek’s newly released CD DAY IN MAY features all original music in a small group format. As a published composer and arranger for large jazz ensembles, Bret Zvacek has numerous compositions and arrangements to his credit published by the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press and Walrus Music. He traveled to Helsinki, Finland in March of 1996 to be featured as guest composer, conductor, and performer with the UMO Jazz Orchestra. Bret’s music has been performed and recorded by professional groups including the Count Basie Orchestra, the UMO Jazz Orchestra, the Army Jazz Ambassadors, the Air Force Band of Flight Night Flight Jazz Ensemble, and also by leading college and university groups at the Manhattan School of Music, University of North Texas, University of Northern Colorado, McGill University, and others.

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