This performance and workshop is made possible with the support of Jazz Road, a national initiative of South Arts, which is funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation with additional support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Adam Larson (b. 1990) is an American saxophonist, composer, educator and author currently residing in the Kansas City-area. Larson is an endorsed artist for P. Mauriat Saxophones, Boston Sax Shop and Key Leaves.

Larson has released six albums under his own name and maintains an active touring schedule year-round playing his original music. Adam has been a guest artist at over 100 universities across the globe and has toured internationally in Germany, Holland, India, Taiwan, Africa, Poland and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., Adam has led his own bands at storied venues such as Birdland, Smalls, 55 Bar, Jazz Standard, Dizzy’s, The Green Mill, The Jazz Showcase, Dazzle, The Jewel, The Black Cat, Jazz at the Bistro and Noce, among others.

Larson has authored twelve educational texts and produced an online masterclass that have collectively sold in more than 75 countries and maintains a robust virtual lessons studio, working with dozens of students each month.

Larson currently teaches in the Arts Entrepreneurship Program at UMKC, where he previously taught jazz saxophone, music business and jazz pedagogy.

John Kizilarmut has performed with a wide range of artists and groups including Aretha Franklin, Doc Severinsen, Benny Golson, Jerry Bergonzi, Matt Wilson, Jimmy Heath, Branford Marsalis, Adam Larson, Logan Richardson, Clark Terry, New York Voices, Ana Gasteyer, Conspirare, Shirley Jones, DJ Starscream, and the Des Moines Symphony.

He is a frequent guest performer and clinician at percussion and jazz festivals throughout the midwest, including Texas, Iowa, and Nebraska Days of Percussion; Tallcorn, Kansas City, Cherokee, Hannover, and Iowa City Jazz Festivals. In 2013, John was a featured artist along with with TOCA artist Jamal Mohamed and Marimba One artist Matthew Coley at the PASIC convention. He is also an active composer and arranger, and his works have been featured by many award-winning music programs including the 2013 State Jazz champion Waukee High School Jazz Ensemble, Lake Central High School Band, several DCI Drum Corps, and the University of Texas percussion ensemble.

As an educator, John directed the 2017 Iowa All-State Jazz Ensemble, and has served on the faculties of Drake University, Grinnell College, and Northwest Missouri State University. John and his son Evan currently reside in Kansas City MO, where he is a member of the jazz studies faculty at UMKC.

Bob DeBoo was born in Fort Worth, Texas and has been involved in music since age 10. His musical life began as a drummer in school and grunge bands, but in his early teens he gravitated to electric bass – particularly after hearing Jaco Pastorius, Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, and Les Claypool. His journey towards playing Jazz really took hold when he heard Ornette Coleman’s “The Shape of Jazz to Come” in High School. He found a mentor in his first upright bass teacher, Michael Blanco. It wasn’t long before he was playing gigs all over the DFW area.

Bob’s formal music study began at the University of North Texas (1999-2001), where he studied with Lynn Seaton and Craig Butterfield. During this time he was playing with many great Jazz musicians in the Dallas area, such as Marchel Ivery, Shelley Carroll, Quamon Fowler, and Arlington Jones, to name a few. In 2001 he was awarded a substantial scholarship to study music at the New School in Manhattan (2002-2004). At the New School Bob was surrounded and influenced by many amazing young musicians. His primary bass teachers during his New School days were Ben Street, Michael Moore, Dennis Irwin, Cameron Browne, and Johannes Weidenmuller.

After graduating from the New School, Bob continued playing in the New York area with great musicians such as Frank Locrasto, Jeremy Pelt, Logan Richardson, Tommy Crane, and Manuel Valera. He also became more active in playing creative bands like Josh Mease’s Superioirty Complex, an experimental drum-n-bass group named Doctor Oscillator, and a hip-hop group named The Piranhas. – all of which have several albums released in the early/mid-2000s.

An engagement to the love of his life, Beth, brought him to Saint Louis in 2006, where he has resided ever since. Bob has been incredibly active in the Jazz scene, playing with every major artist in the area. In Saint Louis he has worked often with Willie Akins, Freddie Washington, Denise Thymes, Ptah Williams, Erin Bode, Dave Stone, Adam Maness, Peter Schlamb, and Montez Coleman. A regular fixture at Jazz at the Bistro, he has been involved with many great musicians as they travel through the area – Terrell Stafford, Bruce Barth, Keyon Harrold, Adam Larson, Allison Miller, Peter Martin, Matt Wilson, Emmanuel Harrold, Houston Person, Johnny O’Neal, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Geoff Keezer, among many more. Bob is also active in leading his own groups – including performances at LouFest, Chesterfield Jazz Festival, and at Jazz at the Bistro. He is also known for hosting a long-running Jazz jam session at the Kranzberg Arts Center in Grand Center.

Very involved in Jazz education as well Bob has taught for years with Jazz St. Louis’ “JazzU” program, with Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz for Young People program, Peter Martin’s Open Studio Network, and is an adjunct bass professor at Missouri State University and Jefferson College. He has also taught private lessons to many young bassists over the years and keeps a full roster of students.