Marshall to host 57th Annual Winter Jazz Festival

The Marshall University School of Music presents the 57th MU Winter Jazz Festival Feb. 25-27 at Smith Recital Hall. The Marshall Winter Jazz Festival is among the longest-running collegiate jazz festivals in the country and features performances by 18 ensembles from middle school to professional groups. Concerts will take place in Smith Recital Hall and are free and open to all.

A hallmark of the annual Festival is the featured guest artist. This year’s featured guest artist is Roxy Coss, a GRAMMY-winning musician, composer, educator and activist who is one of the most unique and innovative saxophonists on the jazz scene. She is the founder and president of the Women In Jazz Organization (WIJO), director of Jazz Studies at Stony Brook University and co-artistic director of the Brubeck Jazz Summit.

Coss has performed extensively around the world, headlining major festivals and venues, including the Newport Jazz Festival, Sopot Jazz Festival, Melbourne Big Band Festival, NYC Winter Jazz Fest, BRIC Jazz Fest, Earshot Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Summerfest and Ballard Jazz Festival, to name a few.

“We are incredibly honored to host such a creative force on the modern jazz scene at the 57th MU Winter Jazz Festival,” said Jeff Wolfe, director of Jazz Studies at Marshall University and coordinator of the festival. “Roxy is not only one of the most powerful voices on the saxophone today, she is also an incredible composer and inspiring jazz educator. We strive to make jazz education available to all here at Marshall, and Roxy’s ideals and work is very much the embodiment of this spirit. This is going to be a very special jazz festival.”

Highlights of the Winter Jazz Festival schedule are as follows:
• Wednesday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m.: Morehead State University Jazz Ensemble and the Jewel City Jazz Orchestra
• Thursday, Feb. 26, 1 p.m.: Clinic for student participants with Roxy Coss; 6 p.m. MU Jazz Combo I and Roxy Coss with Marshall University jazz faculty Nick Vassar on guitar and Lars Swanson on bass, as well as clinician Jesse Nolan on drums
• Friday, Feb. 27, 1 p.m.: Clinic for student participants with Roxy Coss; 6:00 p.m. The Thundering Herd All-Star Jazz Ensemble, and MU Jazz Ensemble I, featuring Roxy Coss

The Winter Jazz festival also includes performances from regional middle and high school jazz ensembles from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26, and Friday, Feb. 27.

For more information about the Festival, visit www.marshall.edu/music/jazz/events/jazzfest