SPELMAN COLLEGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE
PERFORMS AT LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP BENEFIT
-- Legendary jazz vibraphonist Roy Ayers receives annual award
-- Jazz Concert Proceeds Provide College Scholarships for Deserving Students
MONTCLAIR, N.J. (January 14) -- The Spelman College Jazz Ensemble will make its 18th annual trek from Atlanta to New Jersey when it performs at the Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue in Montclair on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 7 p.m. Sponsored by the Northern New Jersey Chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College (NNJC), the purpose of the jazz event is to raise scholarship funds for deserving New Jersey students. During the concert, the alumnae chapter will both host and pay tribute to legendary vibraphonist and vocalist Roy Ayers, when he receives the group’s annual "African American Classical Music Award.”
Ayers and his legacy of funk, soul and jazz, joins a distinguished group of past award recipients and concert attendees including Dr. Billy Taylor, Nancy Wilson, Geri Allen, the Heath Brothers, Diane Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Branford Marsalis, Max Roach, Bobbi Humphrey, Little Jimmy Scott, Abbey Lincoln and Carrie Smith. Often called the "Godfather of acid jazz", Roy Ayers may be best known for his songs “Running Away,” and "Everybody Loves the Sunshine.”
“The Spelman College Jazz Ensemble is truly an amazing group of vocalists and instrumentalists," said Brett Simon, chapter president of NNJC. "What many people may not know is that it is THE largest and most acclaimed all-female college jazz band in the country! We are so honored that they travel here to New Jersey all the way from Atlanta, during their spring break, to help us raise scholarship money so that other young women can one day attend Spelman too,” she added. NNJC consists of Spelman graduates residing throughout northern New Jersey.
Under the watchful direction of instructor Joseph Jennings, the Ensemble’s performance ranges from jazz standards and blues to bee-bop and swing, with a fresh touch of spoken word and poetry. The group has performed at festivals and concerts throughout the country with Wynton Marsalis, Max Roach, Consuela Lee and Bobbi Humphrey, and this year will include select Roy Ayers’ signature pieces.
“The Jazz Ensemble concert is our biggest and most significant fund raiser of the year and it draws a crowd ranging from novices to jazz enthusiasts from throughout the state for a great cause,” Simon said.
To date, the annual benefit jazz concert event has raised more than $210,000 for the chapter’s Scholarship Fund, and has provided financial assistance for 61 deserving New Jersey women who desired to attend Spelman College. In 2006, the chapter used funds to establish an endowed scholarship at Spelman. Additionally, NNJC has awarded five one-time (non-renewable) book scholarships to young women from Elmwood Park, Linden, Jersey City, Perth Amboy, and Plainfield.
PERFORMS AT LOCAL SCHOLARSHIP BENEFIT
-- Legendary jazz vibraphonist Roy Ayers receives annual award
-- Jazz Concert Proceeds Provide College Scholarships for Deserving Students
MONTCLAIR, N.J. (January 14) -- The Spelman College Jazz Ensemble will make its 18th annual trek from Atlanta to New Jersey when it performs at the Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue in Montclair on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 7 p.m. Sponsored by the Northern New Jersey Chapter of the National Alumnae Association of Spelman College (NNJC), the purpose of the jazz event is to raise scholarship funds for deserving New Jersey students. During the concert, the alumnae chapter will both host and pay tribute to legendary vibraphonist and vocalist Roy Ayers, when he receives the group’s annual "African American Classical Music Award.”
Ayers and his legacy of funk, soul and jazz, joins a distinguished group of past award recipients and concert attendees including Dr. Billy Taylor, Nancy Wilson, Geri Allen, the Heath Brothers, Diane Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Branford Marsalis, Max Roach, Bobbi Humphrey, Little Jimmy Scott, Abbey Lincoln and Carrie Smith. Often called the "Godfather of acid jazz", Roy Ayers may be best known for his songs “Running Away,” and "Everybody Loves the Sunshine.”
“The Spelman College Jazz Ensemble is truly an amazing group of vocalists and instrumentalists," said Brett Simon, chapter president of NNJC. "What many people may not know is that it is THE largest and most acclaimed all-female college jazz band in the country! We are so honored that they travel here to New Jersey all the way from Atlanta, during their spring break, to help us raise scholarship money so that other young women can one day attend Spelman too,” she added. NNJC consists of Spelman graduates residing throughout northern New Jersey.
Under the watchful direction of instructor Joseph Jennings, the Ensemble’s performance ranges from jazz standards and blues to bee-bop and swing, with a fresh touch of spoken word and poetry. The group has performed at festivals and concerts throughout the country with Wynton Marsalis, Max Roach, Consuela Lee and Bobbi Humphrey, and this year will include select Roy Ayers’ signature pieces.
“The Jazz Ensemble concert is our biggest and most significant fund raiser of the year and it draws a crowd ranging from novices to jazz enthusiasts from throughout the state for a great cause,” Simon said.
To date, the annual benefit jazz concert event has raised more than $210,000 for the chapter’s Scholarship Fund, and has provided financial assistance for 61 deserving New Jersey women who desired to attend Spelman College. In 2006, the chapter used funds to establish an endowed scholarship at Spelman. Additionally, NNJC has awarded five one-time (non-renewable) book scholarships to young women from Elmwood Park, Linden, Jersey City, Perth Amboy, and Plainfield.
"Tuition at Spelman has more than tripled since I graduated there in 1988 and that's why this concert is the most important fund raiser of the year for our alumnae chapter," Simon stated. "Last year, the money raised by the concert effort made the dream of attending Spelman a reality for eleven area students hailing from Newark, Montclair, Plainsboro, Plainfield, Edison, Teaneck, Trenton and Atlantic City . It gives us so much pride and personal satisfaction knowing that we help young African American women attend our wonderful school."
Tickets range from $35-$100, with a limited number of tickets available at the door. Proceeds will provide scholarship assistance for New Jersey students attending Spelman College. For concert tickets or more information E-mail njspelman@yahoo.com.
