By Diane Kubiak Post-Tribune correspondent Apr 12, 2011
The 26th annual Valparaiso University Jazz Fest opened Monday night to the jazz musings of Jerry Jarvis’ “Critical Mass” played by the Hobart High School Jazz Band.
The title aptly described the enthusiastic reception of the audience, which seemed wowed by the solo performances of HHS saxophonists Seth Hamilton, 16, and Julian Winborn, 17.
The largest non-competitive collegiate jazz festival in the Midwest, the VU Jazz Fest offers opportunities for area high school jazz bands to “swing it” without the fear of a pen-wielding judge in the audience. Hobart, Valparaiso and Chesterton high schools played Monday before the Indiana University-South Bend Jazz Ensemble took the stage.
Bands from Hobart Middle School and Emerson, Portage and Crown Point high schools will perform today beginning at 6 p.m. They will be followed by the Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble at 8 p.m.
The festival also brings big-name talent to Northwest Indiana jazz lovers. Tickets are still available for Wednesday night’s performance by saxophonist Tia Fuller, Thursday’s performance by the VU Jazz Ensemble with guest trombonist Vincent Gardner, Friday’s performance with the VU Faculty Jazz Trio also with Gardner and Saturday night’s performance by the Ramsey Lewis Trio.
“Ramsey Lewis is legendary,” said Jeffrey Brown, festival director and VU’s director of jazz studies. Brown thanked each director Monday with a complementary copy of this year’s festival poster. “You have enough plaques,” he told Dan Pritchett of Valparaiso High School, whose award-winning jazz ensemble and studio band both performed.
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