Unified Jazz Ensemble Perform Big Band Classics at the Annapolis Jazz & Roots Festival

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Annapolis Jazz & Roots, November 14, 2025

Unified Jazz Ensemble

Annapolis Jazz & Roots begins the second festival weekend with a concert featuring Unified Jazz Ensemble, the city's most popular jazz band. The four accomplished musicians will deliver a carefully curated performance recapturing the decades when jazz took North America by storm, making its mark through live concerts, radio, film and television.

Hear music popularized by bandleaders such as Duke Ellington (1899 - 1974), Count Basie (1904 -1984), and Benny Goodman (1909 -1986). Enjoy historic pieces, as exciting to hear today as they were when introduced. The setlist includes pearls such as “Avalon,” now credited to Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose, “Satin Doll” from Ellington and Strayhorn, and “One O' Clock Jump" by Count Basie. Associated with each iconic piece is another intriguing tale in the history of jazz.

Unified Jazz Ensemble is a familiar name in the Baltimore-Washington-Annapolis triangle. With a robust performance schedule and many recordings to their credit, the accomplishments of the group and individual players are impressive.

Mike Noonan holds degrees in jazz studies and composition from Berklee College of Music (B.Mus. Magna Cum Laude) and University of North Texas (M.M.). A multi-instrumentalist performing on vibraphone, marimba, piano, and trombone. An experienced composer and arranger, his works are featured on recordings by UJE other jazz artists. He is an Innovative Percussion mallet artist and two-time recipient of a Maryland State Arts Council Individual Artist Award. He leads clinics in jazz improvisation and composition and has served as faculty at several colleges and universities.

John Pineda has been a professional bassist since high school days in LaMarque, Texas. After studying at San Jacinto College in Houston and the University of North Texas, he moved to the jazz mecca of Boston. His solid, in-the-pocket style of playing gained him

a far-reaching reputation. Opportunities to record soon arose, including one with legendary drummer Joe Hunt.

Influenced by virtuosi Charlie Haden, Scott LaFaro and Dave Holland, Pineda became a welcome addition to UJE in 1994. His sensitivity and distinctive earthy groove make him a sought-after player. Recording artists Eddie Daniels and Steve Davis are among the many who have enlisted his talents. Pineda’s bass is maintained by Shank's Strings.

Tim Stanley hails from Belleville, Illinois. He watched his father play with bands of almost every genre in the St. Louis area and began studying trumpet at age nine. Graduating high school in 1993, he attended Eastern Illinois University, studying trumpet with Dr. W. Parker Melvin and improvisation with acclaimed pianist Henry Butler. Since 2004, he has been a member of the U.S. Navy "Commodores" Jazz Ensemble. He also plays with Latin Grammy winning jazz ensemble, Afro Bop Alliance. He has performed and/or recorded with Chris Potter, Jerry Bergonzi, Eddie Daniels, Dave Samuels, Arturo O'Farrill and many others.

Frank Russo is a highly skilled and passionate musician, recording artist and educator. He teaches at Towson University in Maryland and is also an artist/educator for Sabian Cymbals, Baltimore Drums and The Vic Firth Education. Raised in the NYC area, he completed a distinguished career with the prestigious U.S. Naval Academy Band, performing and leading several dynamic ensembles. An incredibly adaptable musician, he has performed in jazz festivals in North America, Asia and Europe, and worked with noteworthy musicians such as Conrad Herwig, Mundell Lowe, Bobby and Shew. A Summit Records Recording Artist, he appears on recordings that gained national recognition and praise from DownBeat, Jazz Times and Modern Drummer.