Colorado jazz festival season kicks off in Greeley

interview with Dana Landry

Colorado’s jazz festival season kicks off this weekend in Greeley.   Dana Landry, area head for Jazz Studies at the University of Colorado visited First Take to preview the 45th annual UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival.

“We are lucky to get what I view as some of the best artists in the world right here in Greeley, Colorado,” said Landry.  Headliners include vocalist Deborah Brown, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (from the Village Vanguard in NYC), saxophonists Chris Potter and Bobby Watson and others.

More than 250 college, high school and middle school bands, combos and vocal groups attend the gathering’s workshops, involving 7500 young musicians, according to the festival’s website, www.UNCJazzFest.com.

“School groups come from Massachusetts, Michigan, California and all over the country, and they can’t wait to be part of the festival,” said Landry, who himself was a music student at UNC in the 1990s.