Trombone virtuoso Ben Patterson will be the guest artist for Tyler Junior College’s annual Jazz Festival, set Thursday and Friday, March 2 and 3, on the TJC central campus.
Patterson will share his knowledge and performance skills with young musicians from area schools during the two-day festival, which will be held in Wise Auditorium, located in the Rogers Palmer Performing Arts Center.
He will also perform with the TJC Jazz Ensembles both nights at 7:30 p.m., in Wise Auditorium. Admission is free, and the public is invited to attend.
The Souled Out Jazz Orchestra will give a pre-concert performance at 7 p.m. Friday.
A native of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and graduate of the University of North Texas, Patterson spent 22 years as a member of The Airmen of Note, the United States Air Force’s premier jazz ensemble, and rose to the positions of lead trombonist/music director.
During his time in the group, he performed hundreds of concerts and clinics all over the U.S. and abroad, recorded 16 albums (many featuring his compositions and arrangements), worked with countless guest artists and entertained U.S. presidents. As the band’s musical director, he produced 10 Jazz Heritage Series recordings with guest artists including Branford Marsalis, Randy Brecker, and Christian McBride.
In addition to fronting his own jazz orchestra and combo, Patterson has been a regular lead player and soloist with various professional groups around Washington, D.C. He also conducts clinics and master classes for high schools and festivals around the country and has served as jazz trombone adjunct faculty for The University of Maryland and director of the W.T. Woodson High School Jazz Band. He currently serves as the Master of Jazz Trombone instructor for The University of Arkansas at Monticello.
“It’s always a big thrill for us to bring someone of Ben’s caliber to come and work with our students,” said Heather Mensch, TJC music department chair and professor of trombone and jazz.
“In addition to improving their skills as players, the students get an idea of what it’s like to be a real, working musician by learning from someone who has spent years in the profession, honing his craft,” added Micah Bell, TJC professor of trumpet and jazz, who directs Jazz Ensemble 1.
TJC Jazz Ensemble 1 students and their hometowns are: Samuel Antonio, Tyler; Christian Butler, Bullard; Cameron Furr, Flint; Mitchell Gilbert, Bullard; Caleb Haffner, Overton; Tyler Hannan, Tyler; Zach Holcek, Tyler; D’Angelo Mosley, Friendswood; Harvey Nguyen, Whitehouse; Mariah Parnell, Tyler; Zachary Paul, Terrell; Jett Schnackenberg, Mansfield; Mitchell Shulka, Fort Worth; Liv Simmons, Lindale; Tanner Sparrow, Crandall; Lauren Taylor, Pineland; and Aubrien Washington, Tyler.
TJC Jazz Ensemble 2 students and their hometowns are: Noah Clark, Palestine; Will Culbertson, Paris; Roger Gonzalez, Palestine; Isai Govellan, Bullard; Kayla Humphrey, Rockwall; Emily James, Palestine; Richard Kelp, Paris; Stephanie Molina, Palestine; Manases Nieto, Longview; Juan Najera, Springtown; Anthony Orduna, Tyler; Aracely Perez-Gonzalez, Center; Brayden Persinger, Tyler; Aaron Roden, Lindale; Justin Shaw, Weatherford; Carolyn Shoemaker, Hallsville; Kyla Thomas, Springtown; Matthew Tryon, Tyler; and Caitlynn Vandzandt, Henderson.
Clinic schedule
The festival will include music clinics and performances by jazz bands from area schools. Each group will perform for about 20 minutes on the Wise Auditorium stage, and then Kauffman will join them and offer advice on their performance.
Tyler musician and educator George Faber, who directs TJC Jazz Ensemble 2, will also serve as a clinician with the student groups and will be featured during the evening concerts.
The public is invited to attend the daytime clinics and performances. Admission is free.
Thursday, March 2
8:45 a.m. — The University of Texas at Tyler
10 a.m. — Redwater High School
11 a.m. — Elkhart High School
1 p.m. — Three Lakes Middle School
2 p.m. — The University of Texas at Tyler Combo
3 p.m. — McKinney Boyd Middle School
4 p.m. — Boulter Middle School
Friday, March 3
9 a.m. — Tyler Legacy High School 1
10 a.m. — Tyler Legacy High School 2
11 a.m. — Brownsboro High School
1 p.m. — Whitehouse Junior High School
1 p.m. — Tyler High School
3 p.m. — Kaufman High School
4 p.m. — LeTourneau University
For more information on TJC bands, go to TJC.edu/band.