And all that jazz!

Renowned saxophonist headlines URI's Jazz Festival

KINGSTON, R.I. -- March 15, 2000 -- Legendary saxophonist Frank Morgan kicks off the University of Rhode Island's annual Jazz and World Music Festival on Thursday, March 30 at 8 p.m. at URI's Fine Arts Recital Hall. The popular three-day festival also will feature local high school jazz bands, as well as URI's Big Band, Jazz Combo, and Traditional Jazz Band. Admission is $6 general, $5 seniors, students free with ID. Tickets can be purchased at the Music Department Office in the Fine Arts Building or at the door on the evening of the performances.

Morgan is good. Consider this quote from Wynton Marsalis: "There is no one around who is better on the alto saxophone. What comes out of his horn is soulful, full of fire and timeless."

Morgan's present style might be described as bebop lived. He commands complex modern phrases, but filters them with a sensibility reflecting the ambivalence and unchained passion acquired after three decades of drug addiction and intermittent incarceration. His comeback 10 years ago penetrated the mainstream media to a degree rare for a jazz artist and remains a uniquely compelling story today.

This fall, Morgan will appear before a House of Representatives panel to talk about addiction and treatment options. Few musicians can move an audience like Morgan can, whether he's talking about his life or playing it through his horn. He's the real deal, one of the last of a vanishing breed, according to Joe Parillo, director of jazz studies at URI.

URI's Big Band, directed by Parillo, will perform with Morgan. Also on Thursday's program are performances by the URI Jazz Combo, directed by Brian Sparks, and URI's Traditional Jazz Band, directed by Gary Buttery.

On Friday evening, March 31 at 8, the Wickford Middle School Jazz Band, directed by Michael Iadevaia and the South Kingstown High School Jazz Band, directed by Jeff Ethier will perform. The URI Jazz Combo, directed by Dave Zinno and the URI Big Band, directed by Parillo, will round out the program.

The last night of the festival, on Saturday evening, April 1 at 8., the Ledyard (Conn.) High School Jazz Band, directed by Thomas Greene, the Worcester Polytech Jazz Band, and the URI Big Band, directed by Joe Parillo, will perform.

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For More Information: Jan Sawyer, 401-874-2116