NSU Galaxy of Stars workshop features Jacob Fred

(Tahlequah, Okla.)--Jazz music fans soon will have an opportunity to hear talented musicians discuss their craft thanks to Northeastern State Universitys Galaxy of Stars Series presented by the Sequoyah Institute.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is hosting a jazz workshop prior to its evening performance, Relaxing at Your Instrument: The Art of Saying Something, at 2 p.m. on Nov. 18 in the NSU Jazz Lab. JFJO is working with the NSU Jazz Ensemble during the workshop, but the event is free and the public is invited.

The Nov. 18 Galaxy of Stars concert by Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is at the Tahlequah High School Performing Arts Center. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey is a great example of growth and change within artists and a group, said Amber Cowan, Galaxy of Stars director. Their evolution over the years into a leading contemporary jazz ensemble is an inspiration to artists and a great testament to the vast local talent in our surrounding communities. Were excited to bring them back to campus many years later in a rare acoustic event that is appealing to music lovers of all calibers.

The critically acclaimed NSU Jazz Ensemble has released six CDs, most recently teaming with celebrated saxophonist Seamus Blake. It has also played in some of Oklahomas most prestigious jazz venues, including the Jazz Depot at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in Tulsa.

The Jazz Ensemble recently earned another honor when it was selected to perform at the Oklahoma Music Educators Association convention in 2012.

Once a popular band in Tulsas nightclub scene, JFJO is now internationally recognized as an innovative ensemble. The bands configuration has changed since its founding in 1994 and the current quartet is Brian Haas on piano, Josh Raymer on drums, Chris Combs on lap steel and Jeff Harshbarger on double bass.

JFJO has released 21 albums. The most recent, The Race Riot Suite, is a musical interpretation of Tulsas infamous 1921 race riot and has received rave reviews nationwide. The band also reinterpreted Beethovens Third and Sixth Symphonies in Ludwig. The project was performed alongside a 50-piece orchestra as a headline performance at the 2010 OK Mozart Festival in Bartlesville.

Individual ticket prices for the concert are $20 for adults, $18 for NSU alumni, $16 for NSU employees and seniors 60 and over, $10 for students and $6 for NSU students. To reserve tickets call 918-458-2075. For more information visit the Sequoyah Institute.

For further information visit the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey web site.

The Galaxy of Stars Series is made possible through the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mid-America Arts Alliance and the Oklahoma Arts Council.