Musical greats take stage
for Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival

Fans of jazz will be treated to some of the greats in the business at UM’s eighth annual Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival April 27-28.
Highlights of the 2007 festival are concerts featuring DeFranco, one of the top clarinetists in jazz history, with guest artists. The concerts are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 27-28, at the University Theatre.

Friday’s guest artists are Bob Mintzer on saxophone and Ingrid Jensen on trumpet. Mintzer, an arranger as well as a saxophonist, has led his own New York-based big band since the early 1980s. He also leads a jazz quartet and is active in music education. He has been nominated for 13 Grammy awards for his solo work and big band recordings.

Jensen’s performances as a leader and as a featured soloist have taken her from her home in Canada around the world, where she conducts master classes, clinics and workshops. She received the Canadian Juno Award for her compact disc “Vernal Fields” in 1995.
Saturday night, DeFranco will be joined on stage by drummer Ed Soph and Andy Firth on the clarinet and saxophone.

Soph is an internationally renowned musician who has presented master classes throughout the world. He is the author of several books and an instructional video and DVD. He teaches music at the University of North Texas in Denton.

In addition to the evening concerts, school jazz bands from throughout the western United States will perform from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the University Theatre. Featured artists will give clinics at 1 p.m. both days.

The festival is not competitive, but each band will receive written comments from clinicians and have an opportunity to work with them following the performances. Clinicians this year are composer David Caffey, director of the University of Northern Colorado School of Music; vocalist and trombonist Aric Schneller of New York; and saxophonist and recording artist Chuck Florence, who now lives in Montana.

Daytime festival events are free and open to the public. All seats are reserved for the evening concerts. Reserved seats are $20 for one night and $35 for both nights; students and seniors, $15 for one night and $25 for both nights. Tickets can be purchased at the University Center and Adams Center box offices, at Worden’s Market, through GrizTix online at http://www.griztix.com or by calling 888-666-8262.