Jazz greats composer Bill Holman (pictured) and pianist Hal Galper will headline the featured artists at Eastern Washington University's Jazz Dialogue Festival, Nov. 15-17.
Hundreds of music students, their directors and guest jazz artists will converge in Cheney for Eastern Washington University's annual Jazz Dialogue Festival. Now in its ninth year, the event will be held Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 15-17, at various locations on the Eastern campus.
The festival attracts middle school, high school and college jazz combos, choirs and bands from across the Northwest to learn the language of jazz.
The emphasis of this instrumental and vocal jazz festival is on education, improvisation and the jazz language.
This unique learning experience begins with clinics, ensemble critiques, workshops, open rehearsals and master classes with the guest artists, Northwest musicians and faculty from Eastern.
“Our festival offers an amazing educational opportunity for kids because it gives them a chance to work with experienced professionals from all over the country,” Rob Tapper, EWU director of jazz studies, associate professor of trombone, and founder of the Jazz Dialogue Festival, said.
“We've created a program that is designed for groups to not only learn, but to have a memorable experience.”
Tapper added that daily clinics will allow students to work with a different musician on voice instruction and specific instruments. He said students will benefit from “extra-long” performance critiques so that they know where and how to improve during and after the festival.
Electrifying public performances will add to the educational element of the festival. On Thursday, experience a spectacular musical journey with the Collegiate Best-Section Big Band and festival guest artists.
Friday will feature New York pianist Hal Galper and his trio, joined by the festival's guest artists and the High School Best-Section Band and High School Outstanding Soloists.
The special guest for Saturday's activities will be one of the greatest living jazz composers/arrangers, Bill Holman, along with the Eastern Jazz Ensemble and Outstanding students from the daytime activities. Bill Holman has played and/or composed for Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich and most of the great jazz bands in history.
The evening concerts will be held at 8 p.m. in the Music Building Recital Hall and historic Showalter Auditorium.
Tickets for each performance date are $15 for adults, and $7 for students and seniors (age 55 and up). A JazzPass, which includes all festival concerts and 2007-2008 EWU jazz activities, is $50. Tickets are available at 359-7073.
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