VALPARAISO | Jazz legends Arturo Sandoval and the Count Basie Orchestra will headline the 25th annual Valparaiso University Jazz Festival, scheduled for April 5 to 10 in repeat performances at the Midwest’s largest non-juried jazz event. In addition to the two nationally-respected jazz artists, the University’s faculty and student ensembles, other guest artists and jazz bands from Northwest Indiana schools will participate in the Valpo Jazz Festival.
To celebrate the milestone 25th anniversary of the event at Valpo, Union director and festival organizer Larry Mosher says two of the biggest names in the jazz genre will take the stage in separate headline events.
“We want to make this a festival to remember for the students and the community,” Mosher saID. “There are many jazz festivals in this region that don’t have two artists of this caliber in the same event, so this is a wonderful opportunity for region jazz lovers.”
Cuban-born Arturo Sandoval, a protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, is known for his performance on the jazz trumpet and flugel horn, and as a classical artist, pianist and composer.
The Count Basie Orchestra, a 16-to-18 piece big band, became one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era under the leadership of Count Basie. After Basie’s death in 1984, the band continued to perform under the direction of some of the players he had hired, and is now directed by former trombonist Bill Hughes. The band continues to tour and release new recordings.
Sandoval will perform at 8 p.m. April 7 and the Count Basie Orchestra will perform at 8 p.m. April 10 in Harre Union. Tickets for each are $25 for the general public and $18 for senior citizens and Valpo alumni.
Other concerts during the festival, all held at Harre Union are:
April 5 – Several Northwest Indiana high school jazz bands and the Indiana University South Bend Jazz Band will perform at 6 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.
April 6 – The Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble, an auditioned “big band” student ensemble that plays traditional and contemporary jazz, will perform with several Northwest Indiana high school jazz bands at 6 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.
April 8 – Jerry Bergonzi, an internationally-recognized jazz tenor saxophonist, will join the Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble in a performance beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for the public and $10 for senior citizens and alumni.
April 9 – Bergonzi will join Valpo’s Faculty Jazz Trio – Billy Foster, Bruce Evans and Jeffery Brown – for a performance beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for the public and $10 for senior citizens and alumni.
Tickets for all performances will go on sale March 1 online at http://valpo.edu/union/tickets, and also will be available March 15 at the Harre Union Welcome Desk.
