Jazz
Our thriving jazz program has 3 big bands and 7-9 small combos open to all UM students. The University of Montana School of Music offers a Bachelors of Arts in Jazz Studies degree. Courses offered include an improvisation sequence, jazz composing and arranging, jazz pedagogy, jazz history, and private jazz lessons.
The Jazz Artists’ Series welcomes world class jazz performers to campus each semester for masterclasses and performances. Held each spring, the University of Montana Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival features prominent performers and educators as well as hundreds of students. All of our groups have the opportunity to perform with guest artists throughout the year, and the groups frequently perform on and off campus. We hope you will join us in the UM Jazz Program.
John Wicks
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Drum Set
Contact
Courses Taught
Private drum set lessons. MUSI 191L “Hip-Hop Beats Rhymes and Culture.”
Affiliations
John Wicks is a drummer, songwriter, film composer and adjunct college professor based in Missoula, Montana.
Wicks is a founder of the band Fitz and the Tantrums and has co-written many of their songs. More Than Just a Dream, the group's 2013 album, included the hit songs "The Walker" and "Out of My League", which each climbed to No. 1 on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart. Fitz and the Tantrums, the band's self-titled studio album, features the hit song "HandClap".
Wicks has also written for and appeared on Bruno Mars' album Doo-Wops & Hooligans and CeeLo Green's The Lady Killer and Heart Blanche albums. In addition, he has recorded and/or played live with such artists as B.o.B, George Clinton (funk musician), David Byrne, Meshell Ndegeocello, Chocolate Genius, Money Mark, Teddybears (band), RZA, among others.
