Jazz festival to offer various performances

By Jenny Jones
Staff Writer

The Purdue Jazz Festival offers an explosive weekend full of culture, talent and, of course, jazz.

For the past 11 years, the festival has been an abundantly growing attraction. "It's a great way to see a variety of what jazz has to offer," said Peter Weber, a saxophonist in the Purdue Jazz Band and a senior in the School of Liberal Arts.

This year's Jazz Festival will begin at noon on Friday and will end noon Sunday.

"There will be a lot of emotion," said Joe Winters, a saxophonist in the Purdue Jazz Band and senior in the Schools of Engineering. "It's hard not to get excited."

Many people are anticipating the Friday night performance of New Orleans trumpet master Nicholas Payton and his tribute to jazz great Louis Armstrong.

"Payton is a big name," said Don Seybold, associate director of Purdue Convocations.

Payton began his musical journey around the age of 4 and now, at 25, Payton leads a 12-piece band of young musicians. "His family was a musical family," said Vernon Hammond, Payton's manager.

One of the Payton's most enticing characteristics is his likeness to Armstrong, with a musical tone and physical look similar to the famous musician.

"Of all the trumpet players, he sounds the most like Louis Armstrong," said Seybold.

Payton's not the only big-name jazz musician performing at this year's festival.

During Saturday's concert, along with the Purdue Jazz Band and PMO Express, the Young Lionesses of Jazz — Terri Lyne Carrington, Sunny Wilkinson and Ingrid Jensen — will fire it up with their performances.

Perhaps the most familiar of these is drummer Carrington, who performed on the "Arsenio Hall Show" and Sinbad's "Vibe."

Hitting it big in 1995, Ingrid Jensen, a Canadian trumpeter, blew through the charts winning the Best Newcomer and Best Mainstream Artist awards.

Carrington and Jensen are not alone in their jazz achievements. Sunny Wilkinson, vocalist, is a member of the Michigan State University jazz faculty. Wilkinson is also head of the International Association of Jazz Educators Women's Caucus, and she is a part of Sisters in Jazz, a mentoring program.

Not only will the Purdue Jazz Festival host big name musicians, but also middle school, high school and Purdue students will keep jazz alive in their own shows.

"We get to show what we can do," said Melinda Larson, a trumpeter in the Purdue Jazz Band and graduate student in the School of Education.

Along with the numerous concerts and events that make up the festival, many local restaurants and clubs will be serving up a helping of smooth jazz and blues throughout the weekend.

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