Billy Taylor Jazz Festival Set for April 15, 16

The East Carolina University School of Music and ECU Jazz Studies Program will present the annual Billy Taylor Jazz Festival April 15 and 16.
Featured performers include Connaitre Miller, associate professor of music and coordinator of jazz vocal studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and the award-winning vocal jazz ensemble she directs, Afro Blue. Also appearing is jazz master drummer Winard Harper, along with ECU jazz ensembles led by bass professor and festival artistic director Carroll V. Dashiell Jr.
ECU Jazz Combos will perform at 8 p.m. April 15 at Christinne’s in the Hilton Greenville. Miller, Afro Blue, Harper and Jazz Ensemble A will perform at 8 p.m. April 16 in Wright Auditorium.
Also on April 16, the festival invites middle and high school jazz bands to participate in the festival’s Middle and High School Performance day, which includes stage performances followed by clinics conducted by Harper and the ECU jazz studies faculty. Outstanding soloist and musicianship awards are presented at the evening concert.
This year’s festival is the first since the passing of jazz great and festival namesake Dr. Billy Taylor.
Tickets are required. For additional information, visit http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cfac/music/jazz/jazz-festival/index.cfm or call 252-328-6851.