Purdue Bands & Orchestras to host 29th annual Purdue Jazz Festival

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — More than 100 jazz bands from middle schools and high schools across the Midwest have been accepted to compete in the 29th annual Purdue Jazz Festival on Jan. 19.

Festival events will begin Thursday (Jan. 17), with a free Community Showcase Concert at
7:30 p.m. at Lafayette’s Long Center, featuring the Purdue Jazz Band, jazz bands from Tippecanoe County and guest saxophonist Jarrard Harris. 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 several headliner concerts as well as competitions, clinics and other special events.

Stefon Harris and Blackout will serve as the Friday night headliner concert on Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. in Stewart Center’s Loeb Playhouse. The event is sponsored by Purdue Convocations.

On Jan. 19, instrumental jazz ensembles from five 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 and Pao Hall. 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 all of the festival guest artists on Saturday.

Harris, artist-in-residence, will be featured in concert with the Purdue Jazz Band, along with appearances by Brian Lynch and Roxy Coss at noon Saturday (Jan. 19) in Loeb Playhouse. This event will also be free and open to the community. Guest artists Brian Lynch and Roxy Coss will headline Saturday’s Festival Finale concert with the Purdue Jazz Band at 7 p.m. on Jan. 19 in Loeb Playhouse. Awards and honors for the high school performances will be announced at this concert.

For more information on Purdue Jazz Festival events, visit www.purdue.edu/bands/jazzfest2019. To purchase tickets for headliner concerts, call 800-914-SHOW. 

Contact: Aaron Yoder, director of external relations, Purdue Bands & Orchestras, 765-496-3288, yoder50@purdue.edu