UL Lafayette’s School of Music is continuing its jazz festivities with a number of concerts in the coming days. Tonight, the seven-member Faculty Jazz Group and Jazz Combo I will take the auditorium stage at Angelle Hall at 7:30 p.m., backing up guest artist Graham Breedlove.
Originally from Lafayette, Breedlove has performed in 20 countries and played with musicians such as Ray Charles and the Saturday Night Live Band. He is presently the trumpet soloist for the Army Blues ensemble. Breedlove will conduct a master class on the April 14 at 10 a.m. before heading back to Washington, D.C.
Wednesday evening’s concert is entitled “Combonation.” Jazz Combo III will play half of the concert, and then back up director, Robert Willey, and various groupings will play for the other half. Willey plans a program of jazz and experimental humor/electronics.
Grad student Timothy Carter will lead a small group playing his compositions and arrangements on April 16 in Angelle Hall, room 153 at 7:30 p.m.
On April 17 at 8 a.m. the School of Music will host the Louisiana Regional Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition, in partnership with PASA. Thirteen high school jazz bands from four states will compete for a chance to play in New York at the Lincoln Center. The winning group for the day will play on the Popeye’s stage that night as part of Festival International. The UL Lafayette Jazz Ensemble will play a mini concert at 3:30 p.m., and again 7:30 p.m. for a full concert featuring Duke Ellington’s music. The competitions and concerts will be in Angelle Hall auditorium.
Combo I will be back on April 26 to perform with the St. Thomas More High School Jazz Ensemble in Fletcher Hall.
The UL Lafayette Jazz Ensemble will return once more on April 29 to play in the Student Union Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. This “Cabaret Night” concert will feature table seating with refreshments and dancing.
UL Lafayette’s jazz concerts take place twice a year to showcase the work of jazz faculty and students, and to provide the public an opportunity to hear unique forms of American music.
The School of Music offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in music theory/composition, performance, piano pedagogy, education, media, and jazz studies. A search is currently underway to fill the Tommy Comeaux Endowed Chair in traditional music, which will lead in the fall to the start of an initiative to create a new Center for traditional music and a new degree program.
For more information call 482-6012 or visit http://music.louisiana.edu/jazz.