![Jazz artist Jim Widner]()
Jazz artist Jim Widner (click to enlarge)
The LaPorte High School Jazz Bands will present their 24th annual JazzFest on Friday, May 3, at 7 p.m. in the LaPorte High School Auditorium. Performances will feature all LaPorte Community Schools jazz bands with six professional guest artists.
Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for students ages 12 and over and senior citizens. Kids under age 12 may attend for free. Tickets will be available at the door and from LPHS Jazz and Lab Band members.
This year’s featured guest artists include:
– Jim Widner, bass: An alumnus of the Stan Kenton, Woody Herman and Glenn Miller big bands, Jim is celebrating his 23rd year of hosting summer camps all across the United States. As a bassist with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Jim was strongly influenced and motivated by Kenton’s dedication to young student musicians. He was a faculty member of the Kenton camps for 10 years and helped Stan organize and expand his camps from California to other locations across the United States. Jim has performed at the Lionel Hampton and Montreaux Jazz Festivals. His performance background includes concert dates with Clark Terry, Buddy DeFranco, Louis Bellson, Randy Brecker, Bill Watrous, and an appearance before former President Bill Clinton. In 1999, students at the University of Missouri-Columbia renamed the music wing of the fine arts residential college “Widner House” in honor of him. Currently Jim is associate professor and director of jazz studies at the University of Missouri – St. Louis and is a Yamaha performing artist.
– Harry Watters, trombone: Harry serves with the U.S. Army Band in Washington, D.C., and teaches jazz trombone at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. Harry spent four years touring and recording with the Dukes of Dixieland and served as graduate assistant to Professor Ellis Marsalis at the University of New Orleans. Watters has performed with Doc Severinsen, Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Erich Kunzel, Kevin Mahogany, Wycliffe Gordon, Lou Rawls, Maureen McGovern, Bill Watrous, Carl Fontana, Jiggs Whiggam, James Moody, Peter Erskine, Conrad Herwig, John Fedchock, and the Boston Brass.
– Charles “Chip” McNeill, saxophone: Chip is chair of jazz studies at the University of Illinois and is also the musical director and jazz tenor saxophonist for Grammy award-winning Arturo Sandoval. Chip has also worked closely with legendary jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson.
– Reggie Thomas, piano: Reggie joined the faculty at Michigan State University as professor of jazz piano in 2011 after nearly 20 years as professor of music at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. He regularly appears as a guest artist at collegiate jazz festivals around the country. He is also a consultant/clinician for Jazz at Lincoln Center, working with the Essentially Ellington Program and the Band Director Academy.
– Allen Beeson, trumpet: Allen studied piano from age 6 to 12 and began playing trumpet in the high school band at age 14. In 1984 he met and became a student of Bobby Shew. Allen has performed with jazz artists such as Clark Terry, Dizzy Gillispie, Louis Bellson, Conte Condoli, Gary Foster, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, John Faddis, Marvin Stamm, Conrad Herwig, and John Fedchock. Allen performs regularly with the Jim Widner Big Band.
– Montez Coleman, drums: Montez has toured the world with some of the biggest names in jazz. A longtime member of the Roy Hargrove Quintet, Coleman has also worked with nationally recognized musicians such as Rufus Reid, Russell Malone, and Wynton Marsalis. Coleman has been touring extensively since 2007 with The Roy Hargrove Quintet and The Roy Hargrove Big Band throughout the United States, Europe and Japan.
