JAZZ STUDIES

DIRECTOR OF THE JAZZ STUDIES PROGRAM

JAMES LANE, originally from Wilmington, NC, earned his BM in Music Education and a BA in Trombone Performance from UNC Wilmington. He earned his Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance from UNC Greensboro where he has been a graduate teaching assistant. Jim is currently starting his DMA in Trombone Performance at UNCG. As a trombonist, Jim has played all across North Carolina with groups such as the Joe Brown Band, Too Phat Brass , Big Night Dynamite, the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra and many productions with Opera House Theatre Company. Jim has also played with artists such as Capthia Jenkins, Ryan Shaw, and Camille Thurman. In early 2022, Jim traveled with the UNCG Jazz Ensemble I to perform in the Jack Rudin Jazz Competition in New York at the Lincoln Center.

KENNY BUTLER is currently the Band Director at Guilford eLearning University Prep in Guilford County, NC. He is also the director of the Randolph Community Jazz Band, in Randolph County, NC. He regularly performs and records as a freelance trumpet player throughout the central part of North Carolina. Mr. Butler marched trumpet with the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps in 2006. He has a Bachelors and Masters of Music in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2008/2012). He worked as band and choir director at Southwestern Randolph Middle School from 2015-2020. Mr. Butler also worked at Southwest Guilford High School as their Marching/Jazz/Concert Band Director (2008-2015). Under his direction at these 2 schools, the concert bands, choirs, jazz and marching programs received numerous Superior Ratings and Grand Champion Awards. During Mr. Butler's appointments at these various schools, students regularly participated in UNC-G and UNC-P honor bands, All County, All District, and All State programs. Mr. Butler plays acoustic guitar, bass guitar, and drum set for First United Methodist Church in Asheboro, NC (his home church). Mr. Butler is happily married to his wife Susan and has 2 school age children, Joshua and Lauren. Ask Mr. Butler about video games as he is an avid gamer.  

EVAN CAMPFIELD is a lifelong Greensboro resident with a deep-rooted love for music. Starting in middle school, he began playing bass in orchestra, later adding trombone to his repertoire. Throughout his time at Northwest Guilford Middle and High School, he was an active member of orchestra, band, marching band, and jazz band. 

Evan initially pursued a Music Education degree at UNCG but ultimately graduated with a double focus Bachelor of Arts in Music and Arts Administration in 2020. During his time at UNCG, he embraced every opportunity to perform in orchestra, chamber ensembles, jazz combos, musicals, and operas. He also gained significant experience collaborating with local composers and singer-songwriters in the Greensboro area since 2015.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Evan is an active musician. He tours the US with the jam grass band Shadowgrass and regularly performs at the First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro with the Rejoice Band. He is also a familiar face at local jazz venues, including Chandler's and the Mark at The Inn at Elon. His roster in studio and on stage include Shadowgrass, Jeremy Garrett, Wally Wallace and The Sononauts, Folk Knot, Farewell Friend, The Gate City Jazz Trio, The Trevor Percario Trio, and others.

While riding in the van or hanging out at home, Evan is a casual gamer and hobbyist instrument repair technician.

CHRISHAWN DARBY is an in-demand drummer/percussionist and composer who performs all around North and South Carolina. Originally from Orangeburg, South Carolina, he graduated from the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and
Humanities in May of 2013. Chrishawn received his undergraduate degree in
Music Performance with a focus on Jazz Studies from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro in 2017, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in
music at North Carolina Central University.

From 2016 to 2019, he worked teaching private lessons and percussion classes at Greensboro Academy, and teaching marching percussion at Edisto High School in Cordova, South Carolina.

He has performed with Grammy-nominated and award-winning artists and
groups such as Shana Tucker, Allison Williams, Brandon Lee, Chad Eby, Steve
Haines, Mondrae Moffett, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Mint Julep Jazz Band, and
many others. When not playing on the road, he also teaches in person and virtual
private lessons to children and adults of all ages and experience levels.

BRENT DAVIS, currently the director of bands at Mendenhall Middle School, graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Performance. He has also completed a Masters in Music Performance in Saxophone at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

He is an active MENC, NCMEA, JEN and CDBA member. While at Mendenhall
Middle School, band students have performed at many band festivals and community events. The students and bands have performed and participated on the local WFMY2 channel, Greensboro Grasshopper baseball games, retirement homes, Greensboro Cultural Arts Center, The Music Academy of North Carolina Masterclasses, UNCG School of Music Masterclasses, All-County Band, All-District Band, All-State Bands, MPA festivals, and Carowinds Theme Park Music Festivals. In 2012, the Mendenhall 8th grade band commissioned and premiered "Gate City Snapshot" by composer Nathan Daughtrey, and in 2017 the 8th grade band premiered "Such Small Things" by composer Nathan Daughtrey as well.

In 2023, Mr. Davis received "Teacher of the Year" at Mendenhall Middle School, and
also was a semi-finalist for GCS Teacher of the Year. Mr. Davis has created and led the GCS Middle School Jazz Festival since 2017.

When not enjoying the sounds of band music, he is spending time with his
family and enjoys fly-fishing and cheering on his favorite baseball, soccer, and football teams. He is always looking forward to teaching new students how to perform and appreciate music throughout life!!!!!!!

Born and raised in the mountains of Western North Carolina, MATT REID began studying piano at the age of five with local teachers in the Asheville area. During his early years, Matt played in numerous churches and Gospel groups, traveling to Florida, Texas, Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee. During this time, Matt also attended the Stamps-Baxter School of Music, held annually in Nashville, TN, where he had the opportunity to study with renowned Gospel pianists Tracy Phillips, Tim Parton and the late Anthony Burger. Developing a deep love for the jazz idiom, Matt relocated to Greensboro, NC in 2013 to complete his undergraduate studies at Guilford College, graduating in 2016 with a B.A. in Jazz Piano Performance. As part of his undergraduate studies, Matt performed in and around the Greensboro area as part of the Guilford College Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo I, including such venues as the Greensboro Coliseum as part of the Guilford College Bryan Series, which hosted guest speakers such as Ron Howard, Amal Clooney, Robert Ballard, Malcolm Gladwell and Bill Bryson. Matt also traveled as part of a consortium of Guilford College musicians, performing in locations such as the notable Arch Street Friends Meeting House in Philadelphia and Brooklyn Friends School in New York City. In 2017, Matt was accepted to the prestigious Jazz Studies program at North Carolina Central University to complete his graduate studies. During this time, Matt had the opportunity to study with renowned pianists Edmund Paolantonio and Joey Calderazzo, and perform with many top jazz artists such as Branford Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Nnenna Freelon, Antonio Hart, Brian E. Miller, Dr. Trineice Robinson, Dr. Ira Wiggins, Dr. Brian Horton, Robert Trowers and Ms. Lenora Helm-Hammonds. While at NCCU, Matt also had the opportunity to study composition and arranging extensively with Dr. Ira Wiggins, Dr. Brian Horton and Mr. Baron Tymas. Matt also performed as part of the esteemed NCCU Jazz Ensemble, which traveled and performed in venues such as the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival in Rockville, MD, the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA for the HBCU National Band Director’s Consortium, numerous NCCU Alumni Association events, both the NCCU 28th and 29th Annual Jazz Festival in Durham, NC, the Valentine’s Day Annual Concert in consortium with jazz ensembles from UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University, and many other regional performance venues. As well, Matt performed as part of the rhythm section for the NCCU Vocal Jazz Ensemble, including performances in Reno, NV at the 2019 Jazz Education Network Conference and as part of Duke University’s In the Jazz Tradition showcases. In May of 2019, Matt graduated from NCCU with a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies Performance. Matt currently serves on the faculty of Guilford College and North Carolina A&T State University, teaching jazz piano and applied laboratory piano courses. Matt is also the assistant director of the Greensboro Big Band, a City of Greensboro ensemble of community musicians who perform big band-style music of the Swing era. Matt also serves on the faculty at the John Coltrane Jazz Workshop in High Point, NC, and in addition to numerous local, regional and national venues, curates and performs weekly with his jazz trio at Double Oaks Bed & Breakfast in Greensboro, NC.