Akron-native bassist and The University of Akron Jazz Studies alumnus, Mike Forfia, leads swingin' trio for a special afterparty & jam session at BLU following the Bittle Legacy Concert at E.J. Thomas Hall!
As part of the annual The University of Akron JazzFest this year, the School of Music will be hosting a special concert celebrating the legacy of Edward Bittle, whom with his wife, Frances, endowed the Bittle Jazz Residency and the Edward L. Bittle Scholarship at The University of Akron. The concert features distinguished UA Jazz Studies alumni and current students in a special performance at E.J. Thomas Hall with guest performer, Latin Grammy Award-winning jazz flautist, Néstor Torres.
After the show at E.J. Thomas Hall, we will be hosting a very special Afterparty & Jam Session at BLU Jazz+ featuring a swingin’ house band led by bassist and UA Jazz Studies alumnus, Mike Forfia! All are welcome to join us on this very special evening in recognition of the contributions to the jazz community made by Edward & Frances Bittle.
Mike Forfia is a native of Akron, Ohio and currently resides in Rochester, New York. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from The University of Akron in 2012 and is currently pursuing an MM in Jazz Double Bass Performance and Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music.
Forfia is a product of the varied and vibrant music scene in Northeast Ohio. Equally at home on upright and electric bass, his musical experiences have led him to perform in settings from free-jazz improvisation to sight-reading with national tours of Broadway musicals and many things in between.
Notable performances and professional associations include a 2011 tour with the World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, the touring cast of Wicked, the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra, violinist Christian Howes, and various recording and sideman projects.
Forfia was also the 1st prize winner of the 2015 International Society of Bassists Scott LaFaro Jazz Bass competition, and a finalist in the 2013 Airmen of Note jazz bass audition. He began his studies at Eastman in the fall of 2014 as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, where he is a candidate for the Arts Leadership Certificate, the Programming Director and Producer of the Jazz@Eastman: Past, Present, and Future radio program and Administrator of the Eastman Gig Service.
Join us at BLU Jazz+ for a night of celebration and live music performed by Akron’s own! Attendees of the Bittle Legacy Concert at E.J. Thomas Hall will receive a $5 discount at the door when presenting your ticket stub to the hostess – see you there!