The Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet will headline the 41st annual Carolina Jazz Festival at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The festival takes place Feb. 15 and Feb. 23-24.
Artists-in residence include trumpeter Alphonso Horne and saxophonist Patrick Brantley Jr.
In addition to performances by Ambrose Akinmusire, Alphonso Horne and Patrick Bartley Jr., the festival will feature the UNC Jazz Band and the UNC Jazz Combos.
The Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet will perform Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Hall on the UNC campus. For ticket information, contact the Memorial Hall box office at (919) 843-3333, or www.carolinaperformingarts.org.
For 13 years, the jazz festival has also featured the North Carolina Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Festival, in partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center, which has engaged student participation from North Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., and New Jersey.
Young trumpet innovator and festival headliner Ambrose Akinmusire is a winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition and the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition. He has appeared with jazz greats including Steve Coleman, Vijay Iyer, Aaron Parks, Esperanza Spalding and Jason Moran. His album, the imagined savior is far easier to paint, received five stars in All About Jazz, and The New York Times named his debut recording 2011’s No. 1 album.
The New Yorker called him “A thrilling young trumpeter and astute bandleader with a unique spark in his playing.”
Artist-in-residence and trumpeter Alphonso Horne has performed with many renowned jazz artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Wes Anderson, Marcus Roberts, Delfeayo Marsalis, Diana Reeves, Michael Feinstein and Jane Monheit. Horne has also won many awards, including the National Trumpet Jazz Trumpet Competition. In the August 2011 issue of JET Magazine, Marsalis included Horne in a list of 16 young jazz musicians entitled, “Wynton’s Picks: Who’s Got Next.”
Artist-in-residence and saxophonist/bandleader Patrick Bartley Jr. has appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and was featured in the Emmy-nominated HBO special, Wynton Marsalis: A Young Arts Masterclass, which premiered at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. He also performed with the Dave Matthews Band live on the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.
Other key festival events:
Friday, Feb. 23:
- 1:25-2:15 p.m.: Open rehearsal with the UNC Jazz Band with artists-in-residence Alphonso Horne, trumpet, and Patrick Brantley Jr., saxophone.1201 Kenan Music Building Rehearsal Room. Free and open to the public.
- 4 p.m.: Concert by the UNC Jazz Combos with artist-in-residence Alphonso Horne and Patrick Bartley, Jr. Moeser Auditorium in Hill Hall. Free and open to the public.
Saturday, Feb. 24:
- 8:30 a.m.to 5:30 p.m.: N.C. Regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Festival. Offered in conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center. Jazz Combos perform in 1201 Kenan Music Building, and Jazz Bands perform in Moeser Auditorium in Hill Hall.
- 8 p.m.: Scholarship Benefit Concert by UNC Jazz Band with artists-in-residence Alphonso Horne and Patrick Brantley Jr.Jim Ketch, director. Moeser Auditorium in Hill Hall. Tickets are $10 ($5 for UNC faculty/staff/students) and can be purchased at the door.
For additional information about the Carolina Jazz Festival, visit http://music.unc.edu/jazzfest/ or contact festival director Jim Ketch at jketch@email.unc.edu.
