The 34th Annual Purdue Jazz Festival | January 20, 2024
Registration is now closed.
Jazz bands from middle schools and high schools across the Midwest will converge on Purdue University on Saturday (Jan. 20) for the 34th annual Purdue Jazz Festival.
Performances associated with the festival will kick off Thursday (Jan. 18) with a free Community Jazz Showcase at 7:30 p.m. at Lafayette’s Long Center, featuring the Purdue Jazz Band and jazz bands from Tippecanoe County. Throughout the three-day festival, student musicians and the public will have the opportunity to work with and learn from nationally renowned artists. The event will boast headliner concerts as well as competitions, clinics and other special events.
Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix will perform as the Friday (Jan. 19) headliner concert at 8:00 p.m. in Stewart Center’s Loeb Playhouse The event is sponsored by Purdue Convocations. Tickets for the general public range from $24 to $32 (details at https://convocations.purdue.edu/event/lakecia-benjamin-and-phoenix-2024/.)
On Saturday, instrumental jazz ensembles from Indiana and neighboring states will arrive early on Purdue’s campus for the competition. It will stretch throughout the day in nine performance venues in Stewart Center, Purdue Memorial Union, Pao Hall and Elliott Hall of Music. The music will start at 8 a.m. and will continue through 6 p.m. These events will be free and open to the public in addition to clinics provided by the festival guest artists on Saturday.
The guest artists include Etienne Charles, Nick Finzer, and Rob Dixon.
