Sacramento State’s C-Sus Voices will join legendary jazz stars such as Quincy Jones, Branford Marsalis, Pat Metheny, and Wayne Shorter when the 59th Monterey Jazz Festival presents three days of music Sept. 16-18.

Led by Professor Gaw Vang Williams, the University’s vocal jazz group won the appearance at the prestigious festival as part of its victory in April at the Next Generation Jazz Festival. That gathering features the nation’s premier college instrumental and vocal ensembles, and the judges declared C-Sus Voices the best of the vocalists.

They’ll perform at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, on the Festival’s Garden Stage.

“The opportunity to perform at a venue that features some of the world’s greatest jazz musicians is an inspirational experience for both me and my students,” says Williams. “The students worked extremely hard last spring to prepare for the Next Generation Jazz Festival, and they feel blessed to have the opportunity to perform again.”

This year definitely has marked a high note for Sac State’s Jazz Program. Downbeat magazine, the bible of the jazz industry, also proclaimed C-Sus Voices the best in the country, and the instrumental Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Professor Steve Roach, received an Outstanding Performance Award.

Tickets for the Monterey Jazz Festival and more information about the three-day series of concerts are available at montereyjazzfestival.org/.

Information on the Jazz Program and Sacramento State’s School Of Music is available at csus.edu/music or by calling (916) 278-5191. – Craig Koscho