24th annual Clark Terry Jazz Festival next month

The 24th annual Clark Terry/Phi Mu Alpha Jazz Festival will return Friday, Feb. 2, and Saturday, Feb. 3, to Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus.

Felipe Brito, director of Jazz Studies at the university, said this year's festival will feature a record number of schools and ensembles participating. They will have 18 middle and high school jazz bands and 25 ensembles resulting in almost 400 students from around the state performing.

"I think the students participating are going to learn a lot from the feedback of the clinicians. It's going to be a beautiful experience," he said.

This is a noncompetitive festival, Brito said. It is for students to learn and grow as a musician with the opportunity to take a master's class with Andre Hayward.

Hayward, a trombonist, has performed with many bands and artists -- The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, The San Francisco Jazz Collective, The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Roy Hargrove, Betty Carter, Joe Williams, Slide Hampton, John Lewis, Mingus Dynasty Big Band, Gerald Wilson, Kirk Whalum, Jimmy Heath, The Duke Ellington Orchestra and Illinois Jacquet's Big Band. He has served as jazz trombone professor at several institutions -- New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, New York University, New England Conservatory, Michigan State University, University of Texas-Butler School of Music and University of North Texas. This will be his second time at the festival as a guest performer.

"Hayward was here about six years ago. The festival always brings somebody at that caliber; that's the tradition. We always try to bring great musicians to work with the students in the schools," Brito said.

Fraternity Phi Mu Alpha started the annual festival in 1998, which was later renamed after Clark Terry, a St. Louis native and swing and bebop trumpeter, who performed with jazz greats such as Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis.

This is Brito's first year as director of Jazz Studies at SEMO, and he said he is excited to continue the legacy and tradition of this festival.

"It's a full circle, you know. I grew up listening to Clark Terry, and I performed with someone who used to play with Clark Terry. I am now directing a jazz festival that is honoring his name and his legacy. So it's a privilege and an honor to be here," he noted.

Tickets for the Clark Terry/Phi Mu Alpha Jazz Festival at Bedell Performance Hall may be purchased online at rivercampus.org or by calling (573) 651-2265.

Other opportunities

Those looking to see more of Hayward will have two other chances in the area. On Thursday, Feb.1, at Spectrum Lounge, 113 Broadway in downtown Cape Girardeau, there will be the monthly SEMO jam session starting at 7 p.m. According to Brito, during this session, he and Hayward will open the session, and afterward the stage will open to students who want to play with Hayward.

The second event will be Jazz night Saturday, Feb 3, at Scout Hall, 420 Broadway in Cape Girardeau. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. Hayward will be performing alongside the Felipe Brito Quintet.

"It's going to be a more intimate type of event with five musicians playing a smaller set up," Brito said.

This is an event for all ages. General admission tickets will have seated rows and standing room. There are also stageside tables for four available.

To buy tickets for the Scout Hall event, go to thescouthall.com/events/jazz-night-with-andre-hayward-and-the-felipe-brito-quintet.