It's hard to believe that there was once a time when there was no such things as the North Carolina Jazz Festival. It was started in 1980 by Doctor Harry VanVelsor, and has been going strong ever since. As a lover of jazz, he wanted to bring that love to Wilmington, N. C. The accent is on traditional music and the New Orleans Dixieland style of music.
The event has grown in popularity to such an extent that in the past they're had musical greats such as Keter Betts, Bobby Rosengarden, Kenny Davern and Tony DiNicola. More recently, lots of talented artists have performed including: Ed Polcer, Wycliffe Gordon, Bucky Pizzarelli, Houston Person and Duke Heitger. They're not averse to showcasing young talent either; Jonathan Russell was aged 11 when he performed alongside Bucky Pizzarelli, the legendary guitarist.
Traditionally, the Wilmington Hilton has been used as the venue for the event. Although the founder wanted to keep the music focused on Dixieland and big band, lately the organizers have tried to appeal to a broader range of taste. To do this they have branched out into other forms of the genre. The purpose of this is obviously to gain more fans and allow for a broader cross-section of people to go, but also it lets people know that there is much more to jazz.
The list of foreign musicians that have attended is extensive. It's seen as a privilege to play at such an event, and so it's not surprise that people like Jim Galloway from Canada and Anat Cohen from Israel have performed there.
Dr Harry VanVelsor retired from participating in the event in 2006. He handed over control to Sandy Evans, who was previously the Cape Fear Jazz Society president. The festival is a non-profit entity and is solely run by people that are not paid. Despite the loss of it's founder, the event continues to go from strength to strength and their reputation of bringing some of the best musicians to the area should remain intact.
Most people didn't know much about Wilmington as a city before it had a musical event like this. The city itself is along the Cape Fear River, so apart from the music, people are drawn to the riverside bars, restaurants and the beach. However, for those who like a little bit of culture as well as Jazz, there are art galleries and museums. If history is your thing then you might like the Civil War sites. The point is there is something in it for every type of tourist.
The shows are usually split into three sets, a morning/afternoon set, an afternoon/evening set and a nighttime set. The idea is to end each evening with a rousing stage set that the audience will not forget. Oftentimes the featured musicians will join each other on stage and have an 'all-star' session. These concerts usually last round four to five hours and are among the most popular. One feature that amateur musicians might like is the option of laying along with the professionals during the last hour of brunch.
The North Carolina Jazz Festival has been going for over three decades and is still going strong. It provides an opportunity for musicians all over the world to congregate in the idyllic town of Wilmington. It also gives amateurs a unique chance to play on stage with some of the featured artists.
The event has grown in popularity to such an extent that in the past they're had musical greats such as Keter Betts, Bobby Rosengarden, Kenny Davern and Tony DiNicola. More recently, lots of talented artists have performed including: Ed Polcer, Wycliffe Gordon, Bucky Pizzarelli, Houston Person and Duke Heitger. They're not averse to showcasing young talent either; Jonathan Russell was aged 11 when he performed alongside Bucky Pizzarelli, the legendary guitarist.
Traditionally, the Wilmington Hilton has been used as the venue for the event. Although the founder wanted to keep the music focused on Dixieland and big band, lately the organizers have tried to appeal to a broader range of taste. To do this they have branched out into other forms of the genre. The purpose of this is obviously to gain more fans and allow for a broader cross-section of people to go, but also it lets people know that there is much more to jazz.
The list of foreign musicians that have attended is extensive. It's seen as a privilege to play at such an event, and so it's not surprise that people like Jim Galloway from Canada and Anat Cohen from Israel have performed there.
Dr Harry VanVelsor retired from participating in the event in 2006. He handed over control to Sandy Evans, who was previously the Cape Fear Jazz Society president. The festival is a non-profit entity and is solely run by people that are not paid. Despite the loss of it's founder, the event continues to go from strength to strength and their reputation of bringing some of the best musicians to the area should remain intact.
Most people didn't know much about Wilmington as a city before it had a musical event like this. The city itself is along the Cape Fear River, so apart from the music, people are drawn to the riverside bars, restaurants and the beach. However, for those who like a little bit of culture as well as Jazz, there are art galleries and museums. If history is your thing then you might like the Civil War sites. The point is there is something in it for every type of tourist.
The shows are usually split into three sets, a morning/afternoon set, an afternoon/evening set and a nighttime set. The idea is to end each evening with a rousing stage set that the audience will not forget. Oftentimes the featured musicians will join each other on stage and have an 'all-star' session. These concerts usually last round four to five hours and are among the most popular. One feature that amateur musicians might like is the option of laying along with the professionals during the last hour of brunch.
The North Carolina Jazz Festival has been going for over three decades and is still going strong. It provides an opportunity for musicians all over the world to congregate in the idyllic town of Wilmington. It also gives amateurs a unique chance to play on stage with some of the featured artists.
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When you want information on the North Carolina jazz festival, visit the web pages online at www.rowanbluesandjazz.org today. You can see details about schedules and locations at http://www.rowanbluesandjazz.org now.
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