Hamp's Jazz Ambassadors
The Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival is proud to present the Lionel Hampton Jazz Ambassadors, an all-star collegiate ensemble. This international group is made up of student musicians from various universities in the US and abroad. They perform as part of the Jazz in the Schools program and the workshop series during the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Prior to the festival week, this student ensemble only met virtually, but now they come together to collaborate, showcase their talent, and share the joys of jazz!
Musicians:
- Levi Rozek, trumpet
- Caleb Robinson, saxophone
- Daniel Kuk, piano
- Oliver Peal, guitar
- Sofia Villarreal, bass
- Mason Oyler, drums
2024 Hamp's Jazz Ambassadors Musicians
Levi Rozek
Growing up in a multigenerational musical family in Indianapolis, Indiana, Levi Rozek has been surrounded by music his whole life. Citing Count Basie, Stevie Wonder, and Sammy Davis Jr. amongst his earliest influences, by eleven years old he had started to play the trumpet and compose, and by fourteen he was already performing professionally. Levi currently resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he attends Temple University under the tutelage of world-renowned trumpeter Terell Stafford. During his career he has performed and recorded with Melissa Aldana, Sean Jones, Jazzmeia Horn, Christian Sands, Russell Hall, and more. He has toured around the country performing at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Monterey Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Indy Jazz Fest, and the Vail Jazz Festival to name a few.
Caleb Robinson
Caleb Robinson is an upcoming saxophonist that’s making a splash in the Indianapolis scene. Caleb has had the opportunity to play at the Carmel Jazz Festival as well as perform for the annual Circle of Lights event. Caleb’s true passion has always been straight ahead jazz with a real love for hard bop and bebop music. He has also recently won the Harlan Lewis and Doris Wittenburg Jazz Scholarship. Other awards include The Woody Herman Award, The Louis Armstrong Award, and The John Philip Sousa Award. Caleb is now a senior at the Jacobs School of Music. He is pursuing
a BM in Jazz Saxophone Performance and a minor in Music Education. Caleb can also be seen collaborating with Ben Davis High School, working with the students as a woodwind specialist. In
addition to working as an educator at Ben Davis, he teaches private lessons specifically for saxophone, clarinet and jazz improvisation.
Daniel Kuk
Daniel Kuk is a 20-year old pianist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer who grew up in the Nashville area. Music was always a big part of his childhood, and he quickly discovered his love for piano as well as picking up the bass, guitar, drums and vocals. Daniel studied with pianist Rick Jackson (Kirk Whalum, Larry Carlton) until he graduated high school. He is now in his second year attending the Middle Tennessee State University School of Music, studying with renowned pianist Pat Coil (Michael McDonald, Carmen McRae, Woody Herman).
Oliver Peal
Oliver Peal is a 22-yearold guitarist studying jazz performance at the University of Chichester in West Sussex. He originally went to university to study English literature, but the first lockdown afforded him a lot of time to immerse himself in jazz music and understand how much further he could go with his playing. By the time he started his English course, the lectures were on teams and zoom, so he would mute himself and turn off his camera so that he could practice. By a stroke of pure luck there was a jazz degree in the same place that he was studying English, so he changed his degree path and has since met, played with, and been taught by brilliant musicians all over the south coast of England.
Sofia Villarreal
Sofia Villarreal is an upright and electric bass player, producer, composer, and educator. She is passionate about using music as a catalyst for positive change within ourselves and the world. She believes in the healing power of music, and one of her biggest aims is to spread that energy with and away from the instrument. Currently finishing her undergraduate degree at Berklee College
of Music, she is a student in the Berklee Jazz and Gender Justice Institute and Berklee Global Jazz Institute, and has studied under notable musicians including Linda May Han Oh, Kris Davis, Victor
Wooten, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, and Kenny Werner.
Mason Oyler
Mason Oyler is currently a third-year music major at the Lionel Hampton School of Music, University of Idaho. He is studying Music Education, Percussion Performance, and Composition. Originally from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, he spent his childhood in Glenpool, Oklahoma. He aspires to become a high school music teacher while still dedicating time to composing and performing. During his time at the university, Mason takes advantage of various opportunities to get involved in different activities. He writes for and plays in several student ensembles and has assisted with the Jazz Festival for the past two years.