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Barb Catlin is a Lecturer in Music and Director of the Pomona College Jazz Ensemble at Pomona College. She also runs the jazz program at the California Institute of Technology and serves on the jazz faculty at Pasadena City College, making her a central figure in Southern California's jazz education landscape.
Her educational background includes a Master of Music Education with jazz piano emphasis from Arizona State University and a B.S. in Music Education with saxophone focus from Grand Canyon University, graduating summa cum laude.
Barb Catlin is renowned for her expertise in jazz education, performance, and composition. Her teaching emphasizes real-world application, rhythm section dynamics, and ensemble development. She has significantly influenced generations of jazz students across Arizona and California through honor bands and youth programs.
Though no publications are listed, her creative output includes numerous original arrangements for jazz combos and big bands, as well as over 300 spiritual and hymn arrangements spanning jazz, pop, and traditional styles, featured on cruise ships and in religious settings.
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Jazz in Arizona
- Best Jazz Trio – KJZZ Listener’s Poll, Phoenix, Arizona
- Player to Catch – Downbeat Magazine
- William English Music Education Award – Arizona State University
- Summa Cum Laude – Grand Canyon University
Barb Catlin has mentored countless students, many of whom have performed in prestigious ensembles such as the Grammy Jazz Bands, Wynton Marsalis’ All-American Jazz Ensemble, and the Dave Brubeck Institute. She has directed numerous honor ensembles including the Arizona All-State Clinic Jazz Band and the 2017 California All-State Junior High Jazz Band. Her work is supported by extensive professional performance experience with artists like Smokey Robinson, Lou Rawls, and Michael Crawford.
She is actively involved in multiple institutional jazz programs, including leading the Pomona College Jazz Ensemble, developing curriculum at Caltech, and teaching at Pasadena City College, demonstrating a broad institutional impact across higher education and community college levels.
