Ninth annual Jazz Week kicks off April 11

Saxophonist Anderson leads lineup of local, regional and national artists

Celebrated saxophonist Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson is the closing performer of the ninth annual Jazz Week at the University of Indianapolis, which features nightly concerts April 11-16.

The Brooklyn-born and New Orleans-influenced alto and soprano sax player is described as “a classic swing stylist with a big sound and irresistible charm.” Along with his own tours and recordings as a bandleader, Anderson has toured and recorded with the Wynton Marsalis Septet and has been a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra for more than two decades

Jazz Week begins with a free concert April 11 by the UIndy Jazz Combo and a free swing dance party April 12 with the UIndy Jazz Ensemble performing big band classics of the 1930s and ‘40s. Ticket prices vary for the other performances, which include trumpeter Tito Carrillo on April 13, saxophonist Jamey Aebersold on April 14, drummer Butch Miles on April 15 and Anderson on April 16.

All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in Ruth Lilly Performance Hall of UIndy’s Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, 1400 E. Hanna Ave. Tickets and more information are available at (317) 788-3251 or www.uindy.edu/arts.

More details on the artists and concerts follow.

Monday, April 11 – UIndy Jazz Combo
Admission: Free
The UIndy Jazz Combo is a group of five to eight students performing jazz and American pop standards.

Tuesday, April 12 – UIndy Jazz Ensemble
Admission: Free
UIndy’s own big band is the flagship of the Jazz Studies program and features students who audition for membership in the ensemble prior to the fall semester. This Jazz Week concert will feature both hot and sweet swing music from the big band era of the 1930s and ’40s, with the stage open for dancing.

Wednesday, April 13 – Trumpeter Tito Carrillo
Admission: $15; $5 for seniors; free for ages 18 and younger and college students with ID

Carrillo has been a fixture on the Chicago jazz and Latin music scenes for decades while also playing some of the most prestigious venues in the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and London’s Royal Festival Hall. He has appeared on over 20 albums. The Chicago Tribune says Carrillo “has acquired a reputation as a fluid improviser, doubly-blessed with a warm lyric style and technique to burn.” Currently on faculty at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he leads his own quintet throughout the Midwest and is an active guest soloist and clinician for school jazz programs.

Thursday, April 14 – Saxophonist Jamey Aebersold
Admission: $15; $5 for seniors; free for ages 18 and younger and college students with ID

Aebersold is an internationally renowned saxophonist and authority on jazz education and improvisation, known for his popular series of play-along book and CD sets. In 1989, he was inducted into the International Association of Jazz Educators Hall of Fame, joining such luminaries as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Louis Armstrong. He also is a recipient of the 2014 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award, the nation’s highest honor in jazz. For his UIndy appearance, he will be joined by acclaimed pianist Steve Allee.

Friday, April 15 – Drummer Butch Miles
Admission: $15; $5 for seniors; free for ages 18 and younger and college students with ID

Known for his swinging big band style with the Count Basie Orchestra, Miles also has performed with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dave Brubeck, Mel Torme, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney and other notables. He has appeared at the world’s major jazz festivals, recorded more than 100 albums and contributed to four Grammy-winning releases. At UIndy, he will perform with Jazz Studies director and trombonist Freddie Mendoza and top local trumpeter Mark Buselli.

Saturday, April 16 – Saxophonist Wess “Warmdaddy” Anderson
Admission: $15; $5 for seniors; free for ages 18 and younger and college students with ID
Alto saxophonist Wessell Anderson has toured the world and recorded with the Wynton Marsalis Septet and has been a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra since it began touring in 1992. JazzTimes magazine says Anderson plays “with rapture and ardor and a sense of breaking the blues down to street level that makes his a crowd-pleasing presence on any bandstand.” Anderson has served on the faculties of the Julliard School of Music and Michigan State University and currently travels the world as a full-time performer, clinician, and jazz advocate. At UIndy, he will be joined by drummer Butch Miles.