The Mary Sallee Jazz Trio, featuring Jay Wilkinson on trumpet and vocals, John Cole on bass, and Sallee on keyboard, will be in concert at the Performing Arts Studio on Sunday, March 16.  The free concert, a part of the PAS Jazz in the Gallery series, begins at 7:30 pm in the Norman Depot, 200 South Jones Ave.  “Chiaroscuro: From Light to Dark,” the paintings of Martin Holland, are on display in the Depot gallery.

Since 1990 Mary Sallee has performed with several jazz groups across the metro area.  In 1996, her own quintet was featured at Norman’s Jazz in June Festival.  In recent years, her groups have entertained for Jazz in June kick-offs and numerous other civic events including the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History Jurassic Jazz fundraisers, and Wine Tasting fundraisers such as Le Tour de Vin.

Mary Sallee wears many hats as a musician. She received a BM, BME and MM in piano and voice, all from the University of Oklahoma. As a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music, she runs a full-time piano studio in addition to freelancing as an accompanist and jazz/cocktail pianist across the metro. As an 18 year member of the Sallee-Hatley Piano Duo, she has played numerous concerts throughout Oklahoma and Kansas. Mary also composes and arranges all styles of piano and choral music for several publishers. Several of her commissioned works have been performed at the state conferences of OMEA and OMTA.  Sallee is sought after as an adjudicator and piano clinician in several states.

Trumpet player Jay Wilkinson received his BME and MM from the University of Oklahoma and is currently the Coordinator of Jazz Studies there. He is a performing member of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the University of Oklahoma Brass Quintet and the Lyric Theater Orchestra. Wilkinson was a featured soloist in 2006 at the OMEA convention and has been recognized for outstanding performances for both trumpet and piano. He is also the lead singer for two local dance bands. Jay spends a great deal of time arranging and composing and is sought after by local musicians, music educators and other professionals to write various styles of music. One can also hear him perform on trumpet/vocals at various metro churches.

Bassist John Cole, an Oklahoma City native and business owner, has been playing music around the metropolitan area for 40 years on Trombone, Electric Bass, and Acoustic Bass. He performs frequently in different local productions and musical theater including University of Oklahoma productions and Oklahoma City's Lyric Theater. He performs with several big bands and small combos doing casual engagements or concerts. For the last eight years, he has been a regular performer at Crossings Community Church in Edmond.

For additional concert information contact The Performing Arts Studio at 405-307-9320.  PAS office hours in the Depot are Tuesday through Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00.

The Performing Arts Studio Jazz in the Gallery Concerts are made possible by grants from the Norman Arts Council, the Oklahoma Arts Council and the National Endowment For the Arts.