Young jazz players and their mentors will delight audiences at the annual Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival.
The Sacramento State campus will swing to the hot licks of jazz during the day-long Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9 at Capistrano Hall. The day will be capped off at 7 p.m. by a concert performed by a coterie of jazz musicians in the Music Recital Hall.
Students and the general public may think they’re in the French Quarter as they enjoy the swinging rhythms, which will feature about 20 school bands, groups sponsored by jazz clubs, and independent youth bands from around the country. They’ll perform traditional jazz—which includes Dixieland, classic and hot jazz, and New Orleans and San Francisco styles—before a panel of judges. Audiences will be able to catch the musical action at three venues during the day: the band room, choral room and the Music Recital Hall.
The 7 p.m. concert will be led by clarinetist Bob Draga and guitarist-banjoist Eddie Erickson and includes an all-star line-up of musicians.
The event was co-founded three years ago by Sacramento State music professor Steve Roach and is a collaboration between the University’s Jazz Studies program, the Sacramento State Jazz Society and the Traditional Jazz Educators Network.
“This is the first scholastic festival dedicated to learning how to play traditional jazz,” says festival chairperson Yvonne M. Au.
“It’s an incredible opportunity for students and directors to learn about the origins of jazz improvisation by working with select educators and professional musicians,” adds Roach. “We are very proud to host such an event.”
Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door for adults and $5 for students with OneCards. That covers all the activities during the day, including the evening concert. Tickets may be purchased from the Jazz Society by calling (916) 372-5277 or (916) 734-7476.
