The 53rd Annual Jazz Festival returns after three years
Loyola's 53rd annual Jazz Festival took place over two days on campus under the direction Professor Gordon Towell, Jazz Studies Coordinator. On March 3-4, 2023 after being forced on a three year break due to the pandemic the 53rd annual Loyola Jazz Festival resumed.
This year’s festival was a celebration of New Orleans Trumpet Masters-Wendell Brunious, Leroy Jones, and Jamil Sharif who had never played together. They served as guest artists and clinicians for the 2023 festival.
The festival was open to big bands and jazz combos from the Elementary through College level, who performed and received instruction from a panel of expert musicians and educators. Various awards, including scholarships to the Loyola University Summer Jazz Camp were handed out as well.
The Jazz Festival registrants received free master classes for all instruments on Friday and Saturday taught by the Loyola Jazz Faculty and the New Orleans Trumpet Masters. Loyola music faculty led a performance Friday afternoon to end the day. The festival concluded with a concert on Saturday featuring the guest clinicians-Wendell Brunious, Leroy Jones, and Jamil Sharif.
