Watch North Carolina Weekend January 19, 2012 on PBS. See more from NC Weekend.

Check out the video of the upcoming 32nd Annual 2012 North Carolina Jazz Festival & Get Your Tickets Now!

Give  NC Jazz Festival tickets to your friends and family.

General Admission Tickets: Thurs. Evening (3 hr. concert) $35.

Fri. & Sat. Evenings (4 hr. concert) $50.

Military $25  -  Students $15   each night

These may be purchased on line by credit card on the website.  You may also purchase them at the Audio Lab,5732 Oleander Dr. in Wilmington.

General Admission reservations made for tables of 10 only, all others are first come /first seated.  Seating for this event is cabaret style in tables of 10.

For more information please call 910-793-1111 or e-mail ncjazzfest@yahoo.com or sandyevans34@yahoo.com

It is fun to see where the lives of those who touch us musically take them when they are not performing in Wilmington at our festival.  You can check on many of them by going to their websites and see the interesting places they are playing and with whom—but here is one interesting tidbit that you might not know about.

The talented young violin prodigy, Jonathan Russell, who performed here for the first time in 2007, was asked back due to popular demand in 2008 and again in 2011, has really branched out in different directions with his amazing talents!

This summer when I was in NYC I went to a one woman show “One Night With Fanny Brice” (which by the way, was marvelous) the orchestra was made up of two musicians – a piano and a violin – yes, the violinist was Jonathan Russell!  What a treat to see “our Jonathan” in that setting, and doing so well.

Another of his many interests is film scoring.  He has studied film scoring with Julliard professor Sam Zyman and film composer Ira Newborn from NYU.  He scored his first short film, “Radio Hate” at the age of 15.  Most recently he received an additional music credit for the Bollywood film “Aarakshan”, which was directed by Prakash Jha.  In July of this year, Jonathan wrote a demo for the new Hollywood Brass instrument library – the only non “in the house” composer to be asked to contribute.  He is currently composing music for a streaming film, “Arella”, produced by Rubichouse, due to be released in early 2012.  Jonathan’s latest credit is the scoring of a 25 minute short film  Soul Keeper (poster below) which is being shown at the Burlington VT film festival in October 2011.

Jonathan created his own You Tube channel a year ago (jdrcomposer.com), which currently has well over 600 subscribers.  To learn more about Jonathan visit his website www.jonathanjazz.com

To see him perform locally come to the North Carolina Jazz Festival on Feb. 6, 7 & 8,  2013, we are planning ahead so we are sure to have him here while it is still an option — who knows where the future will lead this talented young man!

We are pleased to announce that The Southeast Tourism Society has designated the North Carolina Jazz Festival as one of the top 20 events in the Southeast for February 2012.

Southeast Tourism Society is dedicated to the promotion of travel to and within the Southeastern states, recognizing the importance of festivals, events and attractions in the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.  Their publication receives extensive exposure in print media, web, television and radio in the U.S.and Canada.  Over 1,600 newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations, AAA’s and others receive the listings.  The Top 20 Events pages are consistently among the most visited pages on the STSsites.  www.southeasttourism.org and www.escapetothesoutheast.com.

We are proud to be chosen for this honor.

“AND THE BEAT GOES ON—la de da de de—la de da de da” sang rock and roll greats Sonny and Cher!   We certainly know that to be true with the beat of JAZZ—

The traditional jazz beat started with Ragtime back in the late 1880’s, and The Blues, then came the Dixieland  and New Orleans styles of the early 1900’s, followed by Swing in the 20’s thru the 40’s.  They are all styles of what is known today as Traditional Jazz.Scott Joplin, King Oliver, Benny Goodman, stars of these early musical eras, have passed on their music to many, many great musicians.  Jazz has grown worldwide as musicians spread the musical word around the globe.  Still, it is America’s music, known to all as “our national heritage”.  Styles of jazz have also expanded to include those known as bebop, straight a-head, fusion, West Coast, free, and funk, but the “roots” of it all are buried deep in what we call Traditional Jazz, and those roots continue to flourish.

The North Carolina Jazz Festival proudly continues the presentation of this joyous music using the great musicians of today. This year we will again be adding some new faces to our roster of talented musicians.  From New Orleans comes John Royen, a stride pianist; from NYC we will bring Dion Tucker, trombonist with the Harry Connick Jr. Orchestra; and from Minneapolis, MN – Patrick Harison, a young jazz accordionist!

“AND THE BEAT GOES ON—la de da de de—la de da de da”

We’re adding a dance floor!

In answer to your requests—in 2012 we will be adding a dance floor for those who love to “move with the beat”.  Swing dancing is a “new/old phenomenon” that seems to be really catching on—and what better style of music to swing-dance to than Traditional Jazz?

The dance floor will be to the left of the stage, so as not to interfere with anyone’s view of the musicians.  So, to dance or not to dance, that will be your choice to make!

Patrons Ellen Dorsett (bass), Dick Conrad (clarinet) and Steve Bakunas (drums)

Our North Carolina Jazz Festival patrons are the backbone of our jazz festival—the extra that they contribute to our finances make it possible for us “to go out on a limb” and hire the finest of traditional jazz musicians for our festival each year.

The price of a patron ticket is $175. or $200.  The $175 Patron Badge allows you entry to Friday and Saturday night’s 4½ hr. concerts with preferred, reserved seating, name in the program and the Patron’s Musical Brunch on Saturday morning.  This brunch is a unique part of the North Carolina Jazz Festival, as not only are the patrons treated to a delightful brunch, while listening to all of the invited Allstar Musicians play their favorite music, but an extra added attraction is the Patron Jam.  During the last hour of the brunch any of the patrons, who are also musicians, are invited to sit in with the Allstars for a rousing musical treat enjoyed by all!  This is also a time when patrons and musicians have the opportunity to socialize and get to know each other. The $200 Patron Badge buys you all of the above plus admission to the Thursday evening Special Event concert where we feature different styles of jazz with some very special guest artists along with some of the invited Allstars.

Patron Bob Troxell on trombone

We invite you to be an integral part of the festival family by becoming “part of our backbone”.  With your support we can continue to bring to Wilmington top jazz musicians from across the country and around the world! Help us “Jazz it up”!

NCJF is a non-profit organization, staffed solely by volunteers.

Photos on this page taken by George Ball –to see more of his NCJF photos go to www.BALLGL.COM

Photo courtesy of The StarNews/Paul Stephen

For the fifth year The NC Jazz Festival worked with New Hanover County Schools to bring  jazz  to enthusiastic students.  Roland Grise Middle School once again was chosen to host a concert and workshop with the 2011 Allstar Musicians;  Jonathan Russell, Herman Burney, Bob Alberti and Ed Polcer on Friday February 18th.

Later in the afternoon, Jonathan and Bucky Pizzarelli gave a jazz string clinic for some of our local violin and guitar students and Bria Skonberg presented a similar sesssion to some trumpet students.   The Wilmington Hilton graciously provided the space for both of these events.

During the 2012 NCJF weekend we plan to continue our practice of bringing some of our all-star musicians to the middle school for a concert/workshop on Friday morning.

Later that afternoon Bucky Pizzarelli will conduct a guitar workshop for local guitar students and Bria Skonberg will again conduct a workshop for young trumpet students from the local high schools.  This will again take place in the Bellamy Room of the Wilmington Hilton Riverside.

It’s one of the oldest traditional jazz festivals in the country, but it doesn’t mean it’s old. Sure some of its 2011 scheduled artist have been performing for decades, but over the last few years the North Carolina Jazz Festival has been working hard putting a new spirit to its annual event.

“Basically it all stems back to the music of the ‘20s and ‘30s in New Orleans,” explains Evans. “Traditional jazz takes us back to the ‘roots’ of jazz. And gives the musicians a chance to play the basic jazz form while expanding their playing to speak their own message.”