Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax: 713.743.8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2005

Contact: Contact: Mike Emery
713.743.8186 (office)
713.415.6551 (pager)
pemery@uh.edu

MOORES JAZZ FEST TEAMS UH STUDENTS WITH TRUMPET MASTER RANDY BRECKER

It’s not every day that student musicians jam with Grammy-winning jazzmen, but once a year, University of Houston players share the stage with some of the biggest names in jazz.

This year, the 7th Annual Moores Jazz Festival teams UH’s Jazz Ensemble with award-winning trumpet player Randy Brecker and brings some of Texas’ finest performers to the Moores Opera House.

The festival kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, with a performance by the Texas Music Festival Jazz Project featuring some the state’s top professional players. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, the UH Jazz Ensemble and Brecker take the stage.

Each year, the festival invites a seasoned jazz performer to rehearse and perform with students on campus. Previous festival performers include Kenny Garrett, Michael Brecker and Lew Soloff.

“Our students raise the bar when performing with these artists,” said Noe Marmolejo, UH’s jazz area coordinator and associate professor of music. “Not only do they benefit from this experience, but the audience hears a tight band.”

As a solo artist and one half of the Brecker Brothers – along with saxophonist sibling Michael – Brecker has toured internationally and performed with a number of renowned musicians, including Charles Mingus and David Sanborn. In 1994, the Brecker Brothers earned two Grammys: Best Contemporary Jazz Performance for the album, Out of the Loop, and Best Instrumental Composition for the track, “African Skies.”

Tickets for Texas Music Festival Jazz Project performance on Friday, Feb. 18 are $10 and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets for the Randy Brecker/UH Jazz ensemble show are $15 and $7 for students and seniors. The Moores box office can be reached at 713-743-3313.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.