[JPL] 30th ANNUAL DETROIT INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES EXPANDED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

[Dr. Jazz]

For release

July 20, 2009

30th ANNUAL DETROIT INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES EXPANDED 
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

DETROIT - Festival organizers at the Detroit International Jazz Festival 
are pleased to announce the roster of educational and family-oriented 
activities for the 30th annual Labor Day Weekend celebration.  Through 
grants from the Kresge Foundation, Erb Family Foundation, Joyce 
Foundation, MCACA, NEA and support from Meijer and Pepsi, the festival 
has been collaborating with other cultural and educational institutions 
throughout the year and expanding educational activities during the 
festival.

 From July 20-24, Detroit Jazz Fest is partnering with Wayne State 
University on Jazz Week @ Wayne -- an intense week of jazz study for 40 
select high school students.  The students will perform Friday, July 24 
at noon on Campus Martius as part of Ford's Fourth Friday series, and 
then again at the festival Labor Day Weekend.  Detroit Jazz Fest is 
sponsoring a day-long residency by clarinetist Eddie Daniels on July 
22.  Mr. Daniels will also perform at Baker's Keyboard Lounge later that 
evening.

The Pepsi Jazz Talk Tent, hosted by local jazz historians Jim Gallert 
and Lars Bjorn, has a full slate of presentations which include: 
Cannonball's Canon: Louis Hayes and Christian McBride remember Adderley; 
Wayne's World: Wayne Shorter in conversation with his biographer 
Michelle Mercer; Keys to the City -- a panel discussion on the Detroit 
piano tradition with Brian Auger, Charles Boles, Antonio Ciacca and 
Carlos McKinney; Elvin Jones: Rhythm Was His Business -- panel 
discussion with Louis Hayes, Carl Allen, Karriem Riggins and Gayelynn 
McKinney; Dolphyana -- the Genius of Eric Dolphy: Discussion with Bennie 
Maupin, James Newton and Cassius Richmond; Let's Dance: The Music of 
Benny Goodman with Eddie Daniels and Dave Bennett; Detroit-NY Junction 
-- The Detroit-Blue Note Record Connection with Ashley Kahn and Bob 
Porter; Byrd in Flight --the Many Faces of Donald Byrd with Ashley Kahn, 
Gary Carner, and Sean Jones.  There will be meet-the-artist sessions 
with Hank Jones (on opening night), Sheila Jordan, and TS Monk. Metro 
Times editor W. Kim Heron and radio personalities Craig Fahle and 
Michael G. Nastos will be joined by nationally known jazz experts Ashley 
Kahn, Mike Fitzgerald, Gary Carner and Bob Porter.

The Meijer Education Stage on Campus Martius will feature the region's 
best high school jazz bands from Warren Cousino, Utica Eppler, Detroit 
Renaissance, Northville, Grand Rapids Northview, St. Clair Shores 
Kennedy, Ithaca, Ann Arbor Pioneer, Waterford Kettering, Clarkston, 
Ionia, Ferndale and Detroit School of Arts. In addition, three high 
school all-star ensembles will perform: the DSO's Civic Jazz Orchestra, 
the MSBOA All Stars, and the Detroit Jazz Fest All Star Youth Ensemble.  
The Northwestern High School 1980 Alumni Band will open the festival -- 
celebrating their performance at the Montreux-Detroit 30 years ago and 
honoring their director, Ernie Rodgers.

College ensembles performing this year include: The North Carolina 
Central University Big Band, Berklee College of Music presents "Animal 
Zoo," Juilliard Jazz Quartet, Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet with 
special guest Gerald Clayton, Alma College Steel Percussion Ensemble, 
Central Michigan University Big Band, Western Michigan University 
Advanced Combo with special guest Stefon Harris, Eastern Michigan 
University Jazz Combo, and U of M (Flint) Steelheads.  The Michigan 
State University Jazz Orchestra will be joined by vocalist Dee Dee 
Bridgewater, and Wayne State Big Band will celebrate Benny Goodman's 
centennial with clarinetist Eddie Daniels.

The Kid Bop area, presented by Nintendo Wii and Meijer, is designed 
especially for "wee-boppers" and families. It will feature Tales from 
Around the World with Rob McCabe, tap dancing with MADD Rhythms and 
special guest Rod Ferrone, and scat singing 101 with Jahra Michelle 
McKinney.

The Detroit Jazz Fest will be held September 4-7. For updates and 
information on how to become a member, donor or volunteer, go to 
www.detroitjazzfest.com.

The Detroit International Jazz Festival is the largest free jazz 
festival in the world. It has become a major tourist attraction, with 
23% of its audience coming from out of state. It has a $90M economic 
impact on Detroit and showcases the city in its most positive light.  
The festival has received support from the National Endowment for the 
Arts, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs (MCACA), the Joyce 
Foundation, the Kresge Foundation and the Erb Family Foundation. Major 
corporate sponsors include Chase, Mack Avenue Records, Absopure, 
Carhartt, DTE Energy Foundation, Meijer, Citizens Bank, Delta Sky Miles, 
Detroit Medical Center, Solaire, Pepsi, Wayne County, Saturn, Budweiser, 
Nintendo Wii, Comcast and Fox 2. Media sponsors include WDET, WEMU, 
WRCJ, AM580, CBS Outdoor, Hour Detroit/dBusiness, Jacobs Media, 
MetroTimes and Downbeat Magazine. In addition, there is a growing base 
of individual support.

Contact:

John Roberts, Education and Outreach

(313) 673-8212

jroberts at detroitjazzfest.com

Chris Harrington, Marketing

(313) 289-9177

charrington at detroitjazzfest.com

-- 
Dr. Jazz
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