FusionFest
Friday, April 8th
With a 20+ year history serving high school and college jazz ensembles, rock bands and contemporary music groups, Tiffin University’s annual music festivals continue this year with the launch of FusionFest 2022. Participating groups will be featured in performance, and participate in workshops and clinics with a team of professional performers and educators. The Chicago funk-soul band Bassel & the Supernaturals will serve as guest artists and clinicians.
Bassel & the Supernaturals, guest artists
The Chicago band Bassel & The Supernaturals is led by Bassel Almandani, a first-generation Syrian-American who, inspired by the music of Otis Redding, uses using soulful melodies, funk inspired rhythms, and captivating lyrics to engage audiences in over 100 different cities. In addition to performing in major festivals, performance halls, concert series, and clubs – the group works closely with organizations on events and residencies that build awareness and empathy for Syrian refugees. Bassel & the Supernaturals has performed at the John F. Kennedy Center, Summerfest, and Millennium Park, and supporting internationally touring artists such as Youssou N’Dour, Brother Ali, Aesop Rock, Emancipator, The Dandy Warhols, Sinkane, and many others. The band has also been featured at on PRI, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Paste Magazine, Huffington Post, NowThis, and many others. The album draws inspiration from artists such as Snarky Puppy, Jamiroquai, and Steely Dan’s “Aja.” They released their third full-length album, “Smoke & Mirrors” in April 2020, following their critically acclaimed Elements in 2017. The band collaborated with TedX Talks on their music video for “Calculated Love” featuring Chicago’s resilient youth in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bassel & The Supernaturals regularly organizes events and residencies with educational, cultural, and charity organizations related to the leader’s cultural heritage and professional experience in logistics management.
Drew Parent
Drew is on staff at TU as the Director of Bands and Instructor of Percussion. He has been teaching and performing around the midwest for over fifteen years with regional jazz ensembles, orchestras, percussion ensembles and commercial music groups. He has served as assistant marching band director at Trine University and drumline director at Bowling Green State University, University of Toledo, and Central Michigan University. He has also taught and arranged percussion for many successful high school marching band programs in the Midwest that include Maumee High School, Springfield High School, Angola High School, Carroll High School, and Lake Orion High School. Currently performing around the region as both a drummer and bass player, he holds both music education and performance degrees from Saginaw Valley State University and Central Michigan University.
Dan Myers
Dan Myers serves as Assistant Professor of Commercial Music at Tiffin University. Dan is an active composer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist and writes music for film, television and the stage, and his original songs can be heard in major motion pictures, animation, and network television series. As a member of actor Gary Sinise’s Lt. Dan Band, Dan has enjoyed the privilege of dueling on fiddle with Charlie Daniels at the Kennedy Center, performing for U.N. troops in Afghanistan and Kuwait, and debuting new music at the Ravinia Festival. Dan tours nationally with his Indie-folk band Stolen Silver, which has been featured in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and American Way Magazine. Dan holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies from Western Michigan University and a Master of Fine Arts in Music Composition for the Screen from Columbia College.
Festival Pre-Registration
Pre-registration for school jazz, rock and pop music ensembles is open.
Arts Scholarship Info
