Twilight 2008

Jazz Festival

The 1st Annual UGA/Athens Twilight Jazz Festival will bring top national artists and local players onstage in what organizers are billing as "an instrument of outreach and service to the community and region."

Sponsored by the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music, in partnership with the Athens Twilight Criterium and the Melting Point/Foundry Park Inn & Spa, the Festival will combine and revive two jazz festival traditions in Athens: the UGA Jazz Festival of Champions organized by late UGA Director of Bands Roger Dancz and the Athens Jazz Festival held in conjunction with the Twilight Criterium for many years.

The Festival will be headlined by The Joshua Redman Trio, which will perform Saturday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Hodgson Hall of the UGA Performing Arts Center. The son of famed American tenor saxophone player Dewey Redman, sax-player Joshua Redman won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition and has recorded with notable jazz artists Pat Metheny, Charlie Haden, Christian McBride, Brad Mehldau and Brian Blade among others. Opening for the Redman Trio is French chanteuse Ilona Knopfler. Tickets are $35 and are available by calling 706/540-0042.

Music of the jazz during the Festival, however, will be free to the public on the Twilight Outdoor Stage in downtown Athens. Auditioned groups from the festival participants will play there, including local jazz groups and the Festival All-Star band made up of top clinicians. The Melting Point, a concert venue located in the Foundry Park Inn & Spa, will host the Festival Jam Sessions, open to all, $10 at the door, on both Friday and Saturday nights. The house band will be Prime Time Jazz, which features local musicians Jim McKillip on piano, Tony McCutchen on drums and Chris Enghauser playing bass.

The Festival builds on recent successful jazz events and opportunities for Athenians and UGA students, most notably the residencies featuring jazz legend Dave Brubeck and his associate Russell Gloyd as well as Darmon Meader of the New York Voices. It also focuses attention on the UGA Jazz Band's invitation to perform in China in late March and early April and on several regional performances by the Classic City Jazz, a small vocal jazz ensemble selected by audition, which sings standards as well as new compositions and arrangements.

This two-day educational festival will serve middle schools, high schools, colleges and community groups in the region providing clinics and workshops for jazz big bands, jazz combos, vocal jazz groups and vocal soloists. The Festival features 12 clinicians from around the country who are well-known in performance and pedagogy areas of their in their respective fields.

"Currently, there is no other comparable jazz festival in the state of Georgia that combines the educational and community elements and is open to both vocal and instrumental groups," said Mitos Andaya, Festival Co-Director and Associate Director of Choral Activities at the School of Music. "The University of Georgia has the opportunity to fill this niche."

For more information about the UGA/Athens Twilight Jazz Festival, please visit www.uga.edu/music/jazzfestival.

*** Photos and mp3s for press are available at www.uga.edu/music/jazzfestival.

UGA/Athens Twilight Jazz Festival
2008-2009 Master Schedule
 
THURSDAY, APRIL 24

 
The Melting Point, www.meltingpointathens.com, 295 E. Dougherty Street
8:00    Jazz Festival kick-off:  Squat at the Melting Point, $5 in advance/$8 at door
 
FRIDAY, APRIL 25

 
Twilight Outdoor Stage, 200 block of College Avenue, free
12:00      UGA Jazz Band
1:00        Peachtree Ridge HS Big Band
4:00        Chattahoochee HS Big Band
5:00        Blair Trio (Vanderbilt University)
6:00        Jackson County HS Jazz Cats
7:00        International Groove Conspiracy
8:00        All-Star Festival Clinician Band

The Melting Point
 
The Melting Point, www.meltingpointathens.com, 295 E. Dougherty Street
9:00        Festival Jam Session with Prime Time Jazz as house band, open to all (bring instruments), $8 in advance/$10 at door, Festival registrants and participating musicians get in free. $5 coupon and pass at bottom and on website.
 
Edge Recital Hall, 3rd Floor Music Building, 250 River Road
11:00    Clinic Performance: Caroline Boegel, vocalist
11:15    Clinic Performance: Kelly Ann Frizzell, vocalist
11:30    Clinic Performance: Kristen Stepens, vocalist
11:45    Clinic Performance: Joshua Elder, vocalist
12:00    Clinic Performance: Jessica Smith, vocalist
12:15    Clinic Performance: Gretchen Swanson, vocalist
1:30      Clinic Performance: Chattahoochee HS Divaz
2:30      Clinic Performance: Chattahoochee HS Jazz Voices
3:30      Vocal Workshop: Classic City Jazz (open to all)
4:30      Clinic Performance: Sam Dawkins, vocalist
4:45      Clinic Performance: Dustin Sosebee, vocalist
 
Ramsey Concert Hall, UGA Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road
11:00    Clinic Performance: Apalachee HS Jazz Cats
12:00    Clinic Performance: Chattahooche HS Jazz Band
1:00      Clinic Performance: Jackson County HS Jazz Band 1
2:00      Clinic Performance: Dan Goodhand Group (UGA)
2:30      Clinic Performance: Jackson County HS Combo 1
3:00      Clinic Performance: Blair Trio (Vanderbilt University)
3:30      Clinic Performance: Erin Woodsmall Group (UGA)
4:00      Clinic Performance: Peachtree Ridge HS Big Band

 
SATURDAY, APRIL 26
 
Twilight Outdoor Stage, 200 block of College Avenue, free
10:00      Ware County HS Big Band
11:00      jazzenigma
12:00      College of Charleston Combo 1
1:00        Rand Lines Trio
2:00        Chris Enghauser Super Combo
3:00        Chris Cassino Trio
4:00        Mark Maxwell Quintet
5:00        Athens A-Train

 
The Melting Point, www.meltingpointathens.com, 295 E. Dougherty Street
9:00        Festival Jam Session with Prime Time Jazz as house band, open to all (bring instruments), $8 in advance/$10 at door, Festival registrants and participating musicians get in free. $5 coupon and pass at bottom and on website.
 
Edge Recital Hall, 3rd Floor Music Building, 250 River Road
11:00    Festival Master Class: Dave Lambert, trombone
1:00      Joshua Redman, saxophone, master class
2:00      Festival Master Class: Charlie Bertini, trumpet
3:00      Festival Master Class: Mimi Fox, guitar

 
Percussion Suite, 1st Floor Music Building, 250 River Road
3:00 Festival Master Class: Neal Starkey, bass, and Tony McCutchen, drums

 
Ramsey Concert Hall, UGA Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road
10:00     Vocal Jazz Workshop
11:00     Vocal Jazz Workshop
12:00     Vocal Jazz Workshop
2:00       Ilona Knopfler, vocalist, master class
3:00       Clinic Performance: Kristin Center, vocalist
3:15       Clinic Performance: Kelly McCalla, vocalist
3:30       Clinic Performance: Justin Miskin, vocalist
4:00       Awards Ceremony with performances by UGA Jazz Band and Classic City Jazz
 
Hodgson Concert Hall, UGA Performing Arts Center, 230 River Road
10:30     Clinic Performance: Rand Lines Duo
11:30     Clinic Performance: Chris Cassino Trio (Pope HS)
12:00     Clinic Performance: Ware County HS Big Band
2:00       Clinic Performance: Big Johnsonville
2:30       Clinic Performance: College of Charleston Combo 1
3:00       Clinic Performance: Putnam County HS Big Band
3:30       Clinic Performance: Justin Miskin, vocalist
7:30       Joshua Redman Trio with Ilona Knopfler opening, UGA Performing Arts Center, $35/$20, 706-542-4400 for tickets
View Results
Buy Photos

Our Sponsors