Archives for 2011

Our North Carolina Jazz Festival patrons are the backbone of our jazz festival—the extra that they contribute to our finances make it possible for us “to go out on a limb” and hire the finest of traditional jazz musicians for our festival each year.

The price of a patron ticket is $200 or $225.  The $200 Patron Badge allows you entry to Friday and Saturday night’s 4 hr. concerts with preferred, reserved seating, name in the program and the Patron’s Musical Brunch on Saturday morning.  This brunch is a unique part of the North Carolina Jazz Festival, as not only are the patrons treated to a delightful brunch, while listening to all of the invited Allstar Musicians play their favorite music, but an extra added attraction is the Patron Jam.  During the last hour of the brunch the patrons, who are also musicians, are invited to sit in with the Allstars for a rousing musical treat enjoyed by all!  This is also a time when patrons and musicians have the opportunity to socialize and get to know each other. The $225. Patron Badge buys you all of the above plus admission to the Thursday evening Special Event concert where we feature different styles of jazz with some very special guest artists along with some of the invited Allstars.

Patron Bob Troxell on trombone

We invite you to be an integral part of the festival family by becoming “part of our backbone”.  With your support we can continue to bring to Wilmington top jazz musicians from across the country and around the world! Help us “Jazz it up”!

NCJF is a non-profit organization, staffed solely by volunteers.

Photos on this page taken by George Ball –to see more of his NCJF photos go to www.BALLGL.COM

Photo courtesy of The StarNews/Paul Stephen

For the fifth year The NC Jazz Festival worked with New Hanover County Schools to bring  jazz  to enthusiastic students.  Roland Grise Middle School once again was chosen to host a concert and workshop with the 2011 Allstar Musicians;  Jonathan Russell, Herman Burney, Bob Alberti and Ed Polcer on Friday February 18th.

Later in the afternoon, Jonathan and Bucky Pizzarelli gave a jazz string clinic for some of our local violin and guitar students and Bria Skonberg presented a similar sesssion to some trumpet students.   The Wilmington Hilton graciously provided the space for both of these events.

During the 2012 NCJF weekend we plan to continue our practice of bringing some of our all-star musicians to the middle school for a concert/workshop on Friday morning.

Later that afternoon Bucky Pizzarelli will conduct a guitar workshop for local guitar students and Bria Skonberg will again conduct a workshop for young trumpet students from the local high schools.  This will again take place in the Bellamy Room of the Wilmington Hilton Riverside.

It’s one of the oldest traditional jazz festivals in the country, but it doesn’t mean it’s old. Sure some of its 2011 scheduled artist have been performing for decades, but over the last few years the North Carolina Jazz Festival has been working hard putting a new spirit to its annual event.

“Basically it all stems back to the music of the ‘20s and ‘30s in New Orleans,” explains Evans. “Traditional jazz takes us back to the ‘roots’ of jazz. And gives the musicians a chance to play the basic jazz form while expanding their playing to speak their own message.”