Dr. Kent John Engelhardt
Professor
Dana School of Music & University Theatre
Bliss Hall 2212
phone: (330) 941-1543
Bio
Kent Engelhardt holds a BM and MM from Youngstown State University and a MA and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the Society for Ethnomusicology, and Jazz Education Network. Kent is an active performer, composer, arranger, editor, scholar, author, and educator. His Charlie Parker research, including two books, is published by VDM, Oxford University Press, and the IAJE. He can be heard on recordings by his group Madd For Tadd, Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, and Blossom Festival Band. Kent is a Conn-Selmer Artist.
Kent was awarded YSU Research Professorships in 2011-2012 for “The ‘Head’ Arrangements of the Count Basie Orchestra 1937-1939,” in 2012-2013 for “Musical Contextualization of Charlie Parker’s Solos with The Jay McShann Orchestra,” and CCAC re-assigned time in 2013-2014 for “The Music of Tadd Dameron for Harlan Leonard and his Rockets.” Kent received a Research Professorship for 2016-2017 for “Tadd Dameron: The Magic Touch” which was completed for the centennial of Tadd Dameron’s birth in Cleveland and performed at the TRI-C Jazz Fest. “Tadd Dameron: The Magic Continues” was recorded by Madd For Taddä on Tighten Up
Records and can be heard on most internet music services. The double CD “Madd For Tadd: Central Avenue Swing & Our Delight” was released in January 2023 on Tighten Up Records and contains 22 of Kent’s new editions and arrangements of Tadd Dameron’s music. Liner notes were contributed by jazz journalist, author, broadcaster, artistic director of the DC Jazz Fest, and former artistic director of the TRI-C Jazz Fest Willard Jenkins. In all, Kent has created 47 critical editions and arrangements of Dameron’s music, and he has plans to create even more. In all, Kent has created 47 critical editions and arrangements of Dameron’s music. In the near future, he plans to seven addition Dameron compositions and several originals to the group’s repertoire. Madd For Taddä has performed at the TRI-C Jazz Fest, the Kaleidoscope Festival at Slippery Rock University, the Lakeland Jazz Festival, Cleveland’s Bop Stop, and BLU-Jazz. Recently, Kent performed the music of Tadd Dameron with the Orlando Jazz Orchestra and at the University of South Florida.
Research Interests
Kansas City Jazz, Charlie Parker, Tadd Dameron, Jazz Composition, Jazz Arranging, Performance, Improvisation, Ensemble Leadership, Music Production
Teaching Interests
Jazz Studies: Improvisation, Composition/Arranging, Ethnomusicology, Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Piano, Ensemble Leadership, Musical Theater
Kent Engelhardt holds a BM and MM from Youngstown State University and a MA and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, the Society for Ethnomusicology, and Jazz Education Network. Kent is an active performer, composer, arranger, editor, scholar, author, and educator. His Charlie Parker research, including two books, is published by VDM, Oxford University Press, and the IAJE. He can be heard on recordings by Madd For Tadd, Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra, Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, and Blossom Festival Band. Kent is a Conn-Selmer Artist and a Remle/Beechler Representative Artist.
Kent was awarded YSU Research Professorships in 2011-2012 for “The ‘Head’ Arrangements of the Count Basie Orchestra 1937-1939,” in 2012-2013 for “Musical Contextualization of Charlie Parker’s Solos with The Jay McShann Orchestra,” and CCAC re-assigned time in 2013-2014 for “The Music of Tadd Dameron for Harlan Leonard and his Rockets.” Kent received a Research Professorship for 2016-2017 for “Tadd Dameron: The Magic Touch” which was completed for the centennial of Tadd Dameron’s birth in Cleveland and performed at the TRI-C Jazz Fest. “Tadd Dameron: The Magic Continues” was recorded by Madd For Tadd on Tighten Up Records and can be heard on most internet music services. Madd For Tadd recorded 22 of Kent’s new editions and arrangements of Tadd Dameron’s music in January of 2020, and it will be released upon completion.