Dave Flippo is a jazz pianist, composer

Composer

A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

, vocalist, teacher

Teacher

A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...

 and bandleader

Bandleader

A bandleader is the leader of a band of musicians. The term is most commonly, though not exclusively, used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or rock and roll music....

 based in the Chicago

Chicago

Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

 area. He is the leader of the Chicago-based modern jazz quintet FLIPPOMUSIC

Flippomusic

FLIPPOMUSIC is a contemporary jazz ensemble based in Chicago, Illinois which was formed in 1992 by composer and pianist Dave Flippo as a vehicle to perform his original compositions and arrangements. The current members include Dave Flippo , Dan Hesler , Donn De Santo , Heath Chappell and Aras...

 (originally FLIPPOMUSIC GLOBALJAZZ), an ensemble whose unique "globaljazz" approach to jazz and large body of original compositions has given it a special place in the Chicago jazz scene. Flippo is also a past member of slam poet Marc Smith’s Pong Unit Band.

Early years and school

Dave Flippo was born in Pittsburgh on March 1, 1958 and began piano studies at the age of four. He is a graduate of Baldwin High School (1976). He received degrees from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, USA. The university is northeast of Pittsburgh. It is the largest university in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and is the commonwealth's fifth largest university...

 (1980-B.A. in Music Composition and Theory), the Eastman School of Music

Eastman School of Music

The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...

 (1982-Masters of Music in Music Composition) and the University of Michigan

University of Michigan

The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...

 (1987-Doctorate of Musical Arts in Music Composition). His minors and side studies included conducting, ethnic music, music history and jazz.

Jazz studies and teaching in Chicago

During the final year of studies at the U of M, Dave began jazz piano studies with Alan Swain in Chicago and, upon graduation, moved to Chicago to continue these studies, perform and teach at the Swain Music Studios. He taught at the Swain Studio until 2010, when it restructured and presently teaches at his own Skokie-based piano studio – Dr. Flippo’s Eclectic Piano Studio, teaches in the home in the North Shore are and is jazz instructor at the College of Lake County (1997 to present). He also taught piano at DePaul University (1995–1999).

Third Stream Performance and Composition

Between the years 1988 - 1990, Flippo began performing and composing for the Ethos Chamber Orchestra, which specialized in “third stream

Third stream

Third Stream is a term coined in 1957 by composer Gunther Schuller, within a lecture at Brandeis University, to describe a musical genre which is a synthesis of classical music and jazz...

” compositions – classical music

Classical music

Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...

 with jazz influences and areas of improvisation

Improvisation

Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...

. He wrote two commissioned works for the group: “Two Visions at Twilight” and “A Walk in the Park.”

GlobalJazz and the Birth of Flippmusic

In 1992, Flippo began composing new pieces he called “globaljazz” and formed the jazz quintet “FLIPPOMUSIC.” The group performed throughout the Chicago area and has recorded two CDs of globaljazz (Tendrils of Light, Ganesh) and two CD’s featuring Flippo singing both standards and his own original vocal compositions (When the Heart is Strong, Tao Tunes). While composing music for Ganesh, he studied Indian raag

Raag

Raag or RAAG can have several meanings:* Radio Amateur Association of Greece* Rāga, a melodic mode in Indian classic music* Right-angled Artin groups, a class of groups studied in geometric group theory....

 theory with Lyon Leifer (bansurist) and Muntaz Ali (tabla.)

Other Projects and Work

-Musical Director and soloist

Soloist

Soloist may refer to:*Solo , a person playing music or singing alone*Solo , a dancer who dances alone*Soloist , a rank within a ballet company above corps de ballet but below principal dancer...

 at Unity Bright Horizons and Unity Church

Unity Church

Unity, known informally as Unity Church, is a religious movement within the wider New Thought movement and is best known to many through its Daily Word devotional publication...

 of Lake County 2000-2005.*

-Member of slam poetry

Slam poetry

A poetry slam is a competition at which poets read or recite original work. These performances are then judged on a numeric scale by previously selected members of the audience.-History:...

 band Pong Unit Band which performed with Marc Smith

Marc Smith

Marc Kelly Smith is an American poet, and the creator and founder of the poetry slam movement, for which he received the nickname Slam Papi....

 at the Green Mill

Green Mill

Green Mill may refer to:-*The Green Mill Jazz Club, Uptown, Chicago*Green's Mill, Sneinton, a windmill in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom*De Groene Molen, Joure, a windmill in Friesland, the Netherlands...

 Club in Chicago and on national tours. 2000-2006. Also performed with the Mo Pu Gumbo poetry troup under the direction on Marc Smith – 2006-2007.

-Graduate of “Writer’s Workshop” at the Theatre Building Chicago

Theatre Building Chicago

The Theatre Building Chicago is a theater located in Chicago's lakeview neighborhood. A major part of Chicago theatre, it has been the home to many theatre companies and actors which have gone on to have great success...

 -a two year program focusing on creating new musicals. Composed two full length musicals: Amelia and Roxane of Bergerac. 2006-2007. (p. 27)

-Community activities: cub scout leader, executive chair-Fairview South multicultural committee, AYSO soccer coach, Neighborhood block captain, Fairview picture-person.

Discography

New Age Variations – solo piano improvisations and compositions (Inner Light Records, Ann Arbor, MI) 1985

Winter Sketches – solo piano improvisations and compositions (Inner Light Records, Ann Arbor, MI) 1986

Tendrils of Light – FLIPPOMUSIC (Southport Records, Chicago, IL SSD 0024 ) 1994

Ganesh – FLIPPOMUSIC (Southport Records, Chicago, IL SSD 0088 ) 2001

When the Heart is Strong, the Voice Rings True – Da Duo Di Flippo De Santo (Oppilf Records, Chicago, IL 1001) 2004

Tao Tunes – FLIPPOMUSIC (Oppilf Records, Chicago, IL 1002) 2011

(sideman/compilation)

It’s About Time! – Marc Smith Poetry 2003

Independent Label Fest Compilation 2005

Tao Tunes

Stop	Distractions	Returning	Sick	Paradox	Trouble	Hopeless	Tao	Worthy
Within	Feeling	Questions	Virtue	Water	Useful	Fearless	Spirit	Truth

Vocal and Instrumental Jazz

Bossa De Santo	Autumn Rambler	Kuzushi	Free for All	Prelude to a Dream	The Face of Love
Always Altered	leven Way Intersection	Song of Solomon	Mother’s Caress	Dreams Reborn	Downward Spiral
Ancient Voices	Ancient Voices	Through Prism’s Eyes	Four-Four Waltz	Melissa	Sweet Imp
People I’ll Never Know	I Wanna Canoe With You	Bop Hop	Walking Sideways	Prayer	Drifting Within

Globaljazz Compositions

Cool Ali	Antelopin	Arabopic	Plateau	Twisted Beauty	The Jig’s Up	Battle of Shiva and Ganesh	Rebound	Giraffe Trek	Camel Trot	Gyromaniations
City Soul	Ganesh	Tendrils of Light	Shadow Dances	Buddha’s Siesta	Syrtotic	Sambasis	Ragaqua	Colossus	Ancient Voices

Full Length Musicals

Amelia-Book by Lynn Chloe Bolan, lyrics by Lynn Sanders, music by Dave Flippo.

Roxane of Bergerac-Book and lyrics by Marie Yuen, music by Dave Flippo.(p. 27)

External links

Additional Biographical, Audio and Video Materials: http://www.sonicbids.com/flippojazz

CDs: http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Flippomusic