Renowned Jazz Artists to Headline USU Guitar, Bass and Drums Festival

LOGAN, UT — Utah State University’s Department of Music presents the 2025 Guitar, Bass and Drums Festival and invites all students and community members to attend. This festival is an annual celebration of world-class musicianship, featuring renowned jazz artists. It will take place March 4 with educational events throughout the day and a concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Russell/Wanlass Performance Hall. A full schedule of events can be viewed on the USU events calendar.

This event was created in 2018 by Guitar Program Coordinator Corey Christiansen with assistance from Associate Professor of Percussion Jason Nicholson and Associate Professor of Professional Practice Braun Khan.

According to Khan, the intention of this festival is to highlight a sometimes-neglected aspect of the jazz ensemble, the rhythm section.

“Oftentimes guest artists who are brought in for festivals are horn players, which is great and somewhat natural since they are the ones who play the melodies and are often featured soloists,” Khan said, “but the rhythm section plays an important supportive role in any jazz ensemble and is typically the ‘engine’ of the group.”

Concerts such as the Wasserman piano series and the Chamber Music Society of Logan bring classical guest artists, but the Guitar, Bass and Drums Festival is the only annual event at USU that brings renowned jazz artists. This year’s festival will feature drummer Danny Gottlieb, bassist Mark Egan, and the guitarist-led Yotam Silberstein Trio.

“Danny Gottlieb has been a longtime friend of Corey Christiansen and played on his first album, ‘Awakening,’ and Gottlieb and Egan have also had a long musical relationship,” Khan said. “Yotam Silberstein is one of the greatest jazz guitarists of his generation, and we’re thrilled that he’s bringing with him Alexander Claffy on bass and Ofri Nehemya on drums, who are both very accomplished and active in the jazz scene.”

This festival will include more than just performances. There will be a combination of clinics and panels where students will have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the artists.

“We want this to not only be a chance for the students to hear these amazing artists perform but also hear them talk about how they approach their craft, the lessons that helped them get to where they are now, and the advice they have for up-and-coming musicians,” Khan said.

Alex Schnieder, a senior in the guitar performance program, has attended this festival in the past and said that it is one of the most beneficial events for a music major to learn from and gain inspiration.

“Many of my favorite memories of my time at USU have been directly tied to this event. It gives students a chance to interact with and learn from musicians who are on the cutting edge of music and who are pushing the art form forward,” Schnieder said. “For me, the Guitar, Bass and Drums festival has always been a highlight of the year, and I always walk away feeling incredibly inspired.”

Testimonials like these are why these festivals keep happening, according to Khan.

“As professional musicians, we can all think of formative experiences like these that inspired us and have stayed with us through the years, so now it’s our turn to bring those kinds of experiences to our students,” Khan said.

The Guitar, Bass and Drums festival is free for USU students, $15 for adults, $10 for seniors/youth, and $8 for faculty/staff. Purchase tickets online or at the CCA box office located in the Daryl Chase Fine Arts Center. For more information visit the USU events calendar.