The UH Moores Jazz Festival has become a Houston tradition by offering jazz fanatics a chance to see top players perform alongside the stars of tomorrow. This 10th annual festival is set for Feb. 29 - March 1 and will feature sax player Vincent Herring performing alongside the Moores School of Music (MSM) Jazz Orchestra. Also appearing is the Texas Music Festival Jazz Project, which is comprised of professional musicians from across the state. Texas high school and middle school ensembles also will perform.
In addition to offering Houstonians a chance to enjoy a weekend of straight-ahead jazz, the festival also provides UH students the rare opportunity to work with professional recording artists through workshops and ultimately, on stage.
"It's hard to believe we've done this for 10 years," said Noe Marmolejo, UH's jazz area coordinator and associate professor of music. "I know the audiences get a kick out of seeing the artists we bring to town, but the students also anticipate this festival. It offers them a fantastic opportunity to play new and often unpublished arrangements with some of industry's top cats."
This year's guest artist, Herring launched his career in the early 1980s when he began touring with the Lionel Hampton Big Band. Subsequent work found Herring teaming with Nat Adderly, Freddie Hubbard, Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers, the Mingus Big Band and many others.
The Texas Music Festival Jazz Project kicks off the festival at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 29. Tickets for this performance are $10 and $5 for students and seniors. Herring and the MSM Jazz Orchestra perform at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 1. Tickets are $15 and $10 for students and seniors. The Moores box office can be reached at 713-743-3313.
| WHAT: | 10th Annual Moores Jazz Festival |
| WHEN: | 7:30 p.m., Feb. 29 - March 1 |
| WHERE: | Moores Opera House University of Houston - Entrance 16 Houston, TX 77204-5017 |
| WHO: | UH Moores School of Music |