Jonathan Wires
Jonathan Wires
Adjunct Professor, Jazz Bass, Composition & Combos/general music
Jonathan A. Wires is jazz performer, composer, and educator. He received a Bachelor
of Arts in Music from the University of Memphis and a Master's Degree in Jazz Studies
from Middle Tennessee State University. He has studied bass with Tim Goodwin, John
Chiego, Michael Formanek, and Denis Irwin. Wires has been recorded on around 30 records
ranging from rock, jazz, folk, to classically influenced music. He has performed with
a variety of artists including Frank Lowe, Billy Bang, Michael Marcus, Alvin Fielder,
Michael Jefry Stevens, Jeff Coffin, Abbey Rader, Cassandra Wilson, Steve Davis, Kallen
Esperian, Don Aliquo, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Charlie Wood, Kelley Hurt, Calvin
Newborn, Larry Panella, Rod McGaha, Leon Anderson, Joel Weiskopf, Bruce Dudley, Kate
Paradise, Joe Davidian, Chester Thompson, Thomas Giampietro, Bruce and Sandra Dudley,
Chris Walters, and Evan Cobb. Among his other contributions are performances on the
film soundtrack for "Black Snake Moan". He has also performed at festivals, including
the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, the Zeitgeist Festival in New Orleans,
and the Lincoln Center Summer Festival in New York. In addition, he has served on
staff at the Vermont Jazz Institute and the Nashville Jazz Workshop's summer jazz
camp. Wires has toured Europe in 2010 and China in 2012. Wires teaches a wide array
of classes at MTSU including, Introduction to Music, Jazz Bass, Jazz Composition,
Improvisation, and Jazz Combo Ensembles.