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Meet Logan Maxwell

Being a student of the Purchase Jazz Studies program means more than just staying in a practice room...It means getting to know who you are as a musician.

Logan Maxwell, Class of ’22 (BM)
Bass

My name is Logan Maxwell and I’m a member of the SUNY Purchase Class of ’22. I’m currently working towards earning my bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance and I’m studying bass with professor Doug Weiss. My career as a performer, composer, and everything else is just getting started; I have occasional gigs in the Westchester area, I’ve worked on a handful of student-run events on campus, and I’m heading into Manhattan as often as I can to attend the jam sessions and meet the musicians who will undoubtedly become my fellow musicians.

When I was applying to schools, I never had a top choice until it was time to decide. I didn’t know what I was doing, so I just followed the advice of my private teacher, Pete Coco (a former Purchase student) and applied to a handful of schools that would give me a good education and weren’t too far from my home on Long Island. After I received my acceptances, I had narrowed down my options to Purchase and Eastman. It was a tough decision, but in the end, Purchase was closer to home, closer to New York City, and more importantly had a more vibrant community. I know I’d be working constantly at Eastman, but here I can enjoy my life outside of the practice room and feel that I’m working towards something greater. Ultimately, I know that I made the right decision in coming here and, if given the chance, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Being a student of the Purchase Jazz Studies program means more than just staying in a practice room. It means collaborating with students in other areas on different projects. It means becoming close the people you play with everyday. It means going to jam sessions and getting to know who your peers are as musicians. It means getting to know who you are as a musician. I haven’t been here for very long, but it already feels like a lifetime. I’ve made friends that I’ll have and perform with for years; I’ve been a part of so many different on-campus events; and most importantly, I’m learning who I am, as both a musician and as a person. For that, I thank the Jazz Studies program and all of the professors I’ve worked with - here’s to 25 more exciting years of Jazz at Purchase!