Buselli–Wallarab Jazz Orchestra

Brent Wallarab

Brent Wallarab earned his music degrees from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 1987 and Indiana University Bloomington in 1989. Since 1991, he has worked as the Smithsonian Institution’s Specialist in Jazz, where he has transcribed, edited, and restored nearly 300 big band works recognized as national treasures. He has also been the lead and solo trombonist for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the resident ensemble of the National Museum of American History, since it began in 1991.

Wallarab is an arranger, composer, teacher, and performer who has led master classes, workshops, and concerts in northern Italy and South Africa. His arranging credits appear on dozens of recordings and include work for Wynton Marsalis, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Short, The New York Pops Orchestra, The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, Charlie Haden, Med Flory, Randy Brecker, and Joe Lovano. In 1994, he co-founded the Buselli–Wallarab Jazz Orchestra with Mark Buselli. He currently teaches jazz ensemble and jazz arranging at Indiana University Bloomington’s Jacobs School of Music.

Mark Buselli

Mark Buselli earned degrees from Berklee College of Music in Boston and Indiana University. He is currently head of Jazz Studies at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. In May 2007, he was awarded the Creative Vision award from NUVO magazine. He received the Dean's Creative Award at Ball State for his 2009 release of An Old Soul by the BWJO, which was voted the No. 6 release of 2009 by JAZZIZ magazine.

As the Education director for the BWJO, Buselli has created programs that have been seen by more than 50,000 students in the mid-west region. He has over forty arrangements published for big bands, brass ensemble, and piano/trumpet, and has ten recordings out as a leader on the Owl Studios and OA2 record labels. He has appeared on numerous recordings as a sideman and has performed for presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. Mark is a Yamaha artist.

Did You Know?

• Mark Buselli's 2009 album An Old Soul was voted the No. 6 release of 2009 by JAZZIZ magazine.
• Buselli has performed for four U.S. presidents: Jimmy Carter, George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.
• The BWJO's education programs have reached more than 50,000 students in the mid-west region.