January 10, 2017
27th Purdue Jazz Festival features high school and middle school bands and GRAMMY award winning group
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue Bands & Orchestra will host the 27th annual Purdue Jazz Festival from Jan. 19-21. The weekend will feature concerts and clinics from esteemed jazz musicians as well as competitions for 95 high school and middle school bands and combos.
The jazz festival will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 with the Community Jazz Showcase Concert at the Long Center for the Performing Arts in Lafayette, 111 N. 6th St., Lafayette. Admission is free. This concert will feature jazz bands from Benton Central, Harrison, Jefferson, McCutcheon and West Lafayette high school, along with the Purdue Jazz Band. The concert also will also feature artist-in-residence trombonist Tim Coffman.
Coffman is a graduate of the Jazz Studies program at Indiana University and has performed with Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, The Temptations, Barry Manilow, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga and many others. He is a member of the New Standard Jazz Orchestra and performs with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra.
On Friday, Jan. 20, at 8 p.m., Arturo O’Farrill and the Grammy award-winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra will perform in Loeb Playhouse. The concert brings together the drama of big band jazz, the culture of Latin music and the virtuosity of 18 of the world’s most accomplished solo musicians. The program will range from the very best in dance music to repertoire that expands all expected Latin music boundaries.
Tickets for Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra may be purchased by calling Purdue Convocations at 800-914-SHOW. Visit Purdue Convocations’ website for more information.
High school and middle school jazz bands and combos will be performing from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, on multiple stages in the Purdue Memorial Union, Stewart Center, and Pao Hall. All performances are free.
Also on Saturday, Arturo O’Farrill and members of the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Ingrid Jensen, David Bixler, Tim Coffman, and Russ Nolan will lead clinics.
At noon in Loeb Playhouse on Saturday (Jan. 21), the Purdue Jazz Band will perform with guest artists Tim Coffman, Ingrid Jensen, and David Bixler. Admission is free.
For more information on Purdue Jazz Festival events, visit https://www.purdue.edu/bands/jazzfest2017/.
Writer: Kelsey Schnieders, kschnied@purdue.edu
Sources: Courtney Downey, cndowney@purdue.edu
