Dr. Wolfe is a Grammy-nominated music educator and performing artist. He holds a D.M.A. in Jazz Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a M.M. and a B.M. in Jazz Studies and Saxophone from the University of North Texas.  

 

Students of Dr. Wolfe have earned prominent positions in some of the most competitive high school and collegiate music programs in the United States, including The California All-State Jazz Ensemble, The University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band, The Julliard School, Stanford University, The Manhattan School of Music, The Eastman School of Music, and the New School of Music. 

 

Ensembles under his direction have been recognized by prestigious organizations, including five Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards, invitational performances to the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, top jazz ensemble honors at the Reno and Folsom Jazz Festivals, and the highest scoring ensemble and combo at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and the Alberta International Band Festival. 

 

Dr. Wolfe has more than twenty years of classroom teaching experience including as Director of Jazz Studies at the Valley Christian Conservatory of the Arts in San Jose, CA; Director of Jazz Studies, Assistant Professor of Saxophone and Director of the Gene Harris Jazz Festival at Boise State University; Adjunct Faculty at Triton College in Chicago; and teaching fellowships at the University of North Texas and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

 

As a professional jazz saxophonist, Marcus has performed in sixteen countries and has freelanced in many major urban centers of the United States. He has released two C.D.s on the NoJoh record label and has received three Downbeat awards. Dr. Wolfe is also the author of a method book entitled RollPlay - Strength Training for Fundamental to Advanced Technique On All Instruments. He is active as an educator, clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor for band programs, festivals, and summer camps throughout the United States and Canada.

Dallas-born composer, arranger, and producer Carl Murr graduated from the University of North Texas jazz arranging program and served as the lead trombonist in the One O'Clock Lab Band. In addition, Carl has served as Adjunct Professor at North Texas in the Jazz Arranging program. He is the 2006 Sammy Nestico Award recipient for his composition "Chili Fish".

 

From 2007 to 2014, Carl toured with Toby Keith's "Easy Money Band" as the trombonist and horn arranger performing for most of Toby's television and live concert appearances. You can hear some of Carl's horn arrangements and performances on Toby Keith's album "35 Mile an Hour Town". In 2014, Carl joined Cirque Du Soleil's "Kooza" show as band leader and performed on trombone, bass trombone, keyboards, and syncing Ableton Live tracks. With "Kooza," Carl performed more than 800 shows and traveled to 6 continents.

 

In 2008, Carl returned to the Dallas area to settle back into domestic life and now works in the DFW metroplex as an instrumentalist, composer/arranger, and educator.

Carol is a native Texan and recently returned to the DFW area after living out of state for many years.  She attended the University of North Texas for her Bachelor of Arts degree.  Carol also holds a Master of Social Work degree and has worked in various social service settings for the last 20 years.  Currently, she is employed by Northwest ISD.  

 

Carol’s interest in jazz begin while attending UNT.  On the way to class one day she was beckoned by the sound of a lab band rehearsal and sought out jazz performances ever since.

 

She looks forward to using her talents to expand the community awareness and involvement in the art of jazz.  She is excited to be a member of the LSJS and is dedicated to the preservation of jazz and its history.