Jazz Concert
“Bright Moments: A Presidential Inaugural Salute”
Featuring Howard University Jazz Ensemble and Afro Blue
Monday, April 13, 2009
Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel
7:00 p.m.
The evening of jazz will feature the award-winning Howard University Jazz Ensemble and Afro Blue. We will celebrate jazz as a critical art form in the development of our contemporary sounds.
Under the direction of Fred Irby, III, the Howard University Jazz Ensemble (HUJE) was founded in 1975. The HUJE has traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Asia as well as the Caribbean and is recognized as one of the foremost college jazz ensembles. Additionally, the HUJE was featured during the 1992, 1996 and 2005 Kennedy Center Honors Gala (CBS-TV). The Howard Jazz Ensemble has released thirty recordings in a distinguished series that began in 1976.
Howard University’s premier vocal jazz ensemble, Afro Blue was formed in the spring of 2002. Since its inception, this dynamic jazz choir has quickly gained national attention.
Afro Blue has received three Down Beat magazine Student Music Awards (2003, 2004 and 2008) for Best College Jazz Group and Outstanding College Jazz Choir. Afro Blue member Christie Dashiell also received a Down Beat Student Music Award in 2008 for Outstanding College Vocal Jazz Soloist. Afro Blue has performed at many prestigious venues in and around Washington, DC including the Kennedy Center, Library of Congress, Carmichael Auditorium at the National Museum of American History, the U.S. Department of State, Lincoln Theatre, Warner Theatre, Japanese Cultural and Exchange Center, Twins Jazz Club, and HR-57. Afro Blue’s stellar reputation has also earned the ensemble opportunities to perform for a number of distinguished organizations such as the Congressional Black Caucus. Afro Blue had the distinct honor of being the first jazz choir from an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to be selected to perform at the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) Annual Conference, an honor they received twice (2004 and 2007).
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