Genesis Jazz Orchestra feat. Bekah Peterson & Riley Helgeson

For our May 21 concert, we will feature trumpeter Riley Helgeson on numerous selections, including People, arranged for Maynard Ferguson, and Georgia on my Mind , arranged for Doc Severinson. Also vocalist Bekah Peterson, from Hastings, on Will You Still Be Mine, and a medley of You’re Driving Me Crazy and What Did I Do?

Other selections by the band will be from Twin Cities natives Jack Schabert , LA Buckner, and Gary Denbow, with other works from Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and pieces from the Buddy Rich Band and Woody Herman.

Featuring Special Guests:

Riley Helgeson: Trumpet

Bekah Peterson: Vocals

And the GJO Band:

Conrad Miska: Soprano & Alto Sax

Lee Tran: Alto Sax

Mac Wilms: Tenor Sax

Gary Denbow II: Tenor Sax

Chuck Linderkamp: Bari Sax

Steve Olsen: Trumpet

Tom Henchal: Trumpet

Eric Elert: Trumpet

Brent Elert: Trumpet

Alex Karye: Trombone

John Zschunke: Trombone

Mike Scott: Bass Trombone

Bill Henry: Keyboards

Dean Kleven: Guitar

Dave Mendenhall: Electric Bass

Dave Hagedorn: Drummer & Musical Director

An ensemble of the , the Genesis Jazz Orchestra was established in 2018 by musicians from the southeast metro area of the Twin Cities. Over half of its members have degrees in music. Some play professionally and many are current or retired music educators.

In addition to performing in the Rosemount community, GJO plays at school jazz concerts and festivals, at Jazz Central Studios in Minneapolis and at city band shells and parks. Recent notable concerts include a shows at Jazz in the Prairie, at the Mall of America, at Mears Park in St. Paul and a performance for the Minnesota Music Educators Association Mid-Winter Conference in Minneapolis.

Riley Helgeson is a freelance trumpet player and composer based in Minneapolis/Saint Paul, MN. Helgeson has toured North America and Europe with Sonny Knight and the Lakers, Friendly Fires (UK), and his own project, McNasty Brass Band. He has also performed on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” with Minneapolis-based McNasty Brass Band. Riley is a part of a writing duo, Pierpont & Helgeson, who released their debut album, "Of Time"; via Secret Stash Records in late 2025. 

Riley serves as the Jazz Program Director for the Shell Lake Arts Center (WI), the oldest jazz camp in the world. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Twin Cities Musicians Union Local 30-73, and is trumpet faculty at Century College. Riley Helgeson is an XO Brass artist.

An alumnus of the Capilano University Jazz Studies program in Vancouver, British Columbia - Bekah Peterson’s singing style has been equally shaped by jazz, pop, choral, gospel, and worship music. Her performances are marked by depth, soul, and a commitment to excellence. Bekah has performed at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival as a soloist, and she has also shared the stage with notable musicians such as Kurt Elling, Phil Nimmons, Cedar Walton, Kristin Korb, Kenny Werner and Ed Thigpen. She sang with the Calgary based groups Revv 52, and ReMix powered by Revv52, for 8 years, entertaining sold-out audiences in Calgary, across Alberta, and as far as New York’s Carnegie Hall. Bekah feels fortunate to have crossed paths with so many wonderful musicians throughout her career and loves the collaboration. She currently resides in Hastings, Minnesota - where in addition to performing - she enjoys creating rehearsal tracks and other recording projects from her home studio. She also finds time to create new arrangements to perform solo and with her 4 talented children whenever she can.

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