Trumpet virtuoso Wallace Roney, guitar legend and bandleader John Scofield, and a constellation of jazz luminaries from across the continent will converge in Danbury from April 25 through 27 to perform in three public concerts during the 18th annual Western Connecticut State University Jazz Fest.
The 2013 festival will offer a special dedication to the 20 children and six educators who died in the December 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Proceeds from ticket sales and donations at the three evening performances during Jazz Fest will benefit My Sandy Hook Family Fund, established for the purpose of providing immediate and continuing assistance to the 26 families who lost loved ones in the tragedy.
Roney, a celebrated trumpeter who learned his craft from jazz greats including Miles Davis, will perform as guest artist with the WCSU Jazz Orchestra at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 26, in Ives Concert Hall in White Hall on the WCSU Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. The concert program will feature Roney’s interpretations of jazz classics including “ABC Blues” by Bob Brookmeyer, “El Viento” by Maria Schneider, and “This I Dig of You” by Hank Mobley.
John Scofield, acclaimed as one of the foremost jazz guitar performers and composers of the past half-century, will be joined by drummer Bill Stewart and bass player Steve Swallow in concert as the John Scofield Trio at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, also in Ives Concert Hall. This concert closing out Jazz Fest 2013 will mark a Danbury reprise for Scofield, who previously visited WCSU in 2009 to teach master classes and perform with the university Jazz Combos.
Saxophonist, bandleader and composer Jimmy Greene, who became a WCSU faculty member in August 2012 as assistant professor of music and assistant coordinator of jazz studies, will join WCSU music students and faculty and an impressive array of professional artists acclaimed in international jazz circles to present the opening Jazz Fest public concert, “Friends of Jimmy Greene,” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 25. Among the jazz artists who will be featured during the concert are pianist Xavier Davis, saxophonist Kris Allen, drummer Quincy Davis, trombonist Steve Davis, and trumpeter, arranger and composer David Weiss with other members of his David Weiss Sextet.
General admission will be $15 for the Friday and Saturday evening concerts, with a fee of $10 for seniors, students with valid ID, and children 12 and under. Admission for the Thursday concert will be $10. Donations also will be accepted at the door for My Sandy Hook Family Fund. Ticket information and reservations are available at (203) 837-TIXX or www.wcsu.edu/tickets. Sponsors are the WCSU Department of Music and the Student Government Association.
For more information, contact Jamie Begian, WCSU Department of Music chair, at begianj@wcsu.edu, or the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.
