2020 Festival

Friday, May 8, 2020
Due to the ongoing pandemic crisis that we are all facing we are announcing at this time the Cancellation of the 2020 South Delta Jazz Festival and Workshop. We hope to remount the festival and workshop in July 2021. 

We hope you are all keeping as well as you can at this difficult time.
At this time we are canceling the 2020 edition of the South Delta Jazz Festival and student workshop. We are sad that we will not be able to offer this program this year and we will miss seeing all of you and sharing and making music with you. We hope to remount the festival in the summer of 2021. Until then, keep strong, keep safe.

Sincerely,
Stephen Robb
Music Director, Delta Community Music School

Each year we create a special area of interest that all the workshop participants work on together. This year our special guest artist is Jack Duncan – a dynamic performer and dedicated educator who is recognized internationally as a pioneer in the study and promotion of Afro-Cuban music.He will be sharing his expertise, experience and considerable knowledge of Afro-Cuban Music and its influence on Jazz.

Under Jack’s artistic direction, we will explore the artistic sensibilities, philosophy and musical / technical approach to this very dynamic, exciting and popular form of jazz. This will happen in two settings: the six small combos will be merged into three larger combos of similar-experience-level players and the whole student group and faculty will work together in a fully massed band. The workshop faculty will coach the large combos and work with their instrument sections in the massed band. The workshop directors will provide arrangements and oversee & conduct the groups under Jack’s leadership. Each large combo and the massed band will perform in the finale of the student showcase concert on Saturday July 11.

Look for an expanded Jazz Festival and Workshop this year.
Online Registration for the 2020 Workshop will open on March 1st, 2020.

Our Jazz Faculty for 2020 includes our specail guest Jack Duncan – afro-cuban percussion, Laura Harrison – voice, Stan Taylor – Drums, Len Araliah – saxophone, Ron Samworth – Guitar, Kevin Lee – trumpet, Brad Muirhead – trombone and Stephen Robb – piano and reeds.

More information about our faculty is included on the faculty biography page