Conrad Herwig to Perform at NSU Green Country Jazz Festival

TAHLEQUAH Northeastern State University's 37th-annual Green Country Jazz Festival will take place Monday, March 1, 2004. Performing in the evening concert will be trombonist Conrad Herwig.

Herwig has recorded 13 albums as a leader, including the Grammy- nominated "The Latin Side of John Coltrane" featuring special guests Eddie Palmieri, Danilo Perez, and Dave Valentin. His most recent recordings on the CrissCross label are "Land of Shadow," "Hieroglyphica," "Unseen Universe," "Osteology," and "Heart of Darkness," which received 4 and 1/2 stars in DownBeat Magazine. He has also been voted No.1 Jazz Trombonist (Talent Deserving Wider Recognition)

in the 2002 Downbeat Jazz Critic's Poll. In constant demand as a sideman, Herwig has been a featured member in the Joe Henderson Sextet, Tom Harrell's Septet and Big Band, and the Joe Lovano Nonet (featured as a soloist on Lovano's Grammy Award winning "52nd St Themes").

"I have wanted to have Conrad as a guest artist for some time, and this year's festival happened to work out with his schedule," said Will Campbell, NSU director of Jazz Studies. "He is truly one of today's greatest jazz trombonists."

The evening concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the NSU Center for Performing Arts. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $6 for student groups of ten or more.

During the day of the festival, junior high and high school jazz bands will perform for judges at the NSU Center for the Performing Arts. There will also be a clinic with Herwig for students attending the festival. These performances are open to the public.

Herwig will be performing with the NSU Jazz Band I. The NSU Jazz Band I was invited to perform as an Honor Ensemble at the 1999 Oklahoma Music Educator Association's convention in Tulsa. This ensemble was also awarded unanimous "superior" ratings and numerous "outstanding musicianship" awards at the 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001 Wichita Jazz Festivals in Wichita, Kansas. In the past seven years, Jazz Band I has performed with internationally renowned jazz artists such as Joe Lovano, Judi Silvano, Jimmy Cobb, Bob Mintzer, Scott Wendholt, Marvin Stamm, Slide Hampton, Chris Vadala, Byron Stripling, Dennis Mackrel, Bobby Shew, John Dankworth, Vincent DiMartino, Jim Riggs, and Leon Breeden.

Tickets for the evening concert may be reserved by calling the Sequoyah Institute (NSU) at 918-458-2075. For additional information, please contact Will Campbell, NSU director of Jazz Studies at 918-456-5511, ext. 4602, or campbelw@nsuok.edu.

2/25/04

Published: 2004-02-25 00:00:00