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WCU to host Jazz Festival on April 9-10

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March 31, 2010 | Share |
Jason Marsalis

Jason Marsalis

John Ellis

John Ellis

Free performances by premier jazz musicians highlight Western Carolina University’s annual Jazz Festival, taking place Friday, April 9, through Saturday, April 10, on the WCU campus.

This year’s festival headliners are Jason Marsalis, drummer and member of the legendary Marsalis family of jazz musicians; Steve Haines, standup bassist and director of the Miles Davis program in jazz studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro; and North Carolina-born saxophonist John Ellis.

Marsalis, Haines and Ellis will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at WCU’s Fine and Performing Arts Center. The concerts are free and open to the public.

Steve Haines

Steve Haines

“Jazz is the only true American art form,” said Pavel Wlosok, WCU assistant professor of jazz and event organizer. “This year we have a very high level of musicianship coming our way. Jazz is still very much alive in the 21st century, and the festival is our way of making sure the WCU community knows this.” 

 
Friday night the guests will perform with the students of WCU’s Jazz Ensemble. That concert also will include a performance by SW3, a trio featuring music faculty members Steve Wohlrab on guitar and Dan Gonko on drums and music student Danny Iannucci on bass.

Saturday’s concert will feature Marsalis, Haines and Ellis with Wlosok on piano performing three compositions each by Ellis and Wlosok. Three WCU jazz combos and student performances will open that show.

 A series of free workshops and open rehearsals also are offered throughout the WCU Jazz Festival. For more information about the festival events, contact Wlosok at 828-227-3261 or pwlosok@wcu.edu.


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