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COVER FEATUREARTURO SANDOVAL To HeadlineVALPARAISO UNIVERSITY’S19th ANNUAL JAZZ FESTby Allison Berndt
VU’s Jazz Fest brings out young and old, professional and amateur. For the past nineteen years now, Valparaiso University has done something fairly unique. This “something” involves a lot of jazz music by a lot of musicians playing a lot of performances, to say the least. Every April since VU’s own head of jazz instruction Jeff Brown founded the annual production almost two decades ago, the Union Great Hall has played host to a week full of extraordinary jazz talent, imported from a variety of places. The festival initially began as a showcase for the university’s Jazz Lab Band and Faculty Jazz Trio, with a few guest artists thrown in to spice things up. These days, the event involves not just the previously mentioned groups, but also dozens of area high school ensembles, visiting professional ensembles, university jazz combos, and this year even a steel drum band. Aside from that all, the headlining acts keep getting bigger and better. Past headliners of the event have included --- Slide Hampton, Maynard Ferguson, The Yellowjackets, Jimmy Heath, and last year’s crowd favorite The Count Basie Orchestra. VU junior Heather Groerich said, “Seeing the Count Basie Orchestra last year was amazing. For being such a small college, we get some huge names.” This year though, could be the one that really puts them over the top.
Sandoval is extremely well-known not only in the world of jazz, but in classical and sometimes pop music as well. He began playing trumpet as a young boy in Cuba, beginning jazz instruction in his late teens. Soon he was brought up and playing alongside the late and legendary Dizzy Gillespie. “[Dizzy] was my mentor, my hero, and my biggest music influence. Just to be around him was a daily lesson” said Sandoval, speaking of his long-time friend. Nowadays it is not uncommon to spot this soloist playing at the Grammy’s, the Oscars, with the Boston Pops, or even as part of the Super Bowl Halftime show. Sandoval has nothing but excitement in his voice when speaking of jazz music. When asked about VU’s Jazz Fest, he said, “I love when I hear the term ‘jazz festival’. I love that music; it is the most wonderful music in the world.” On how jazz music has impacted his own personal life, Sandoval stated, “The most important thing is the freedom. You feel you can fly in jazz music. No freedom, no life.” He is perhaps referencing his struggles with his life and his escape from his native communist Cuba. And when asked of Latin jazz specifically, which he said was originally called Afro-Cuban when it began, he described it as a “little more happy rhythm,” which is more his style. Mike Ross, VU sophomore and lead trumpet in the VU Jazz Lab Band is enthusiastic about Sandoval’s upcoming guest appearance. “I was surprised we got Arturo Sandoval. I really couldn’t pick anyone better to be brought in.” It is true, Sandoval is one of the biggest names there is in jazz music today. Other performers to be included throughout the week will be the VU Faculty Jazz Trio, guest artists Ingrid (trumpet/flugelhorn) and Christine Jensen (alto sax) from Canada, and the various university and high school groups. Local high schools represented by their respective jazz bands are –– Highland, Chesterton, LaPorte, Portage, Munster Knox, Merrillville, Lake Central, Crown Point, Valparaiso and Hebron. Those in charge of the production try to get artists from different places and different backgrounds each year. Co-coordinator and VU Student Union director Larry Mosher said, “When you keep the music diverse, it keeps the crowd diverse”. Mosher went on to describe the concert hall as a good place for the event to take place. The Great Hall has worked out well each year of the event, seating at most 350 audience members. Co-coordinator and founder Jeff Brown agrees. “Jazz has an intimate side to it. Whenever you can present world-renown artists to an intimate crowd, it really adds a lot,” he said. Students on the union board staff help out with sound and technical equipment, while the VU Center for the Arts shares its instruments and other musical necessities. Sponsors also play a large role in the success of the event, including providing participatory plaques for the younger musicians involved. The Valparaiso University Jazz Fest is also unique in that it draws people in from several Northwest Indiana counties, suburbs, and from Chicago itself. Brown believes that proximity is a huge priority. “I’m amazed it’s grown this much,” he said. Jazz Fest begins Monday, April 12 and ends with Sandoval’s performance on Saturday, April 17th. Tickets for the Faculty Jazz Trio, Jensen Sisters and Arturo Sandoval Orchestra will be sold in advance. Other events are free to the public. For information about ticket sales and performance schedules, call (219) 464-5415. Ticket prices range from $5-$20, depending on the performance. |
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Internationally acclaimed jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and his
orchestra will be closing out the week long jazz festival with his Latin
jazz music and combo.