After being canceled the past two years by Covid-19, the Princeton University Jazz Festival is returning this April to coincide with Jazz Appreciation Month. Three concerts will be held the last week of the month with several guest artists performing with Princeton’s student ensembles. Here’s the schedule;
- Wednesday, April 27: Jazz Vocal Collective directed by Trineice Robinson-Martin, Princeton Jazz Voice Instructor and Lecturer. The JVC is a small jazz ensemble highlighting solo voices and a rhythm section to create a collaborative musical experience. Robinson-Martin is Executive Director of the African-American Jazz Caucus and serves on the Board of the Jazz Education Network. The performance will be at 7:30 p.m. in Taplin Auditorium, Fine Hall. Admission is free.
- Thursday, April 28: Alto saxophonist Alexa Tarantino joins Small Group Z, and guitarist Gilad Hekselman will perform with Small Group X. Both groups are under the direction of bassist Matthew Parris, a Princeton faculty member. The concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in Taplin Auditorium, Fine Hall. Admission is free.
- Saturday, April 30: Titans of the Tenor Saxophone, featuring guest saxophonists Tony Malaby (pictured above) and Seamus Blake. The 8 p.m. performance takes place in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall. Tickets are $15 ($5 for students).
Alto saxophonist/composer Rudresh Mahanthappa is Director of Jazz at Princeton. “We are thrilled about the return of the Princeton University Jazz Festival,” he said. It is, “particularly significant,” he added, “given the curtailing of live music we’ve all experienced over the last couple of years.”
More more information, log onto https://music.princeton.edu.