SRU’s Jazz Festival features trombonist John Fedchock and the One O’Clock Lab Band
World-renowned jazz trombonist John Fedchock headlines the Slippery Rock University Jazz Festival, April 13, with a feature performance alongside the SRU Jazz Ensemble that will include a piece Fedchock composed for the occasion. Photo by Chris Drukker
April 11, 2019
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — For the last 17 years, the Slippery Rock University Jazz Festival has brought some of the world's most acclaimed jazz musicians to campus. This year's event will continue the tradition, said Jason Kush, SRU associate professor of music and festival director.
The 18th annual Jazz Festival, April 13, at Swope Music Hall is part of the University's Kaleidoscope Arts Festival. Jazz activities begin at 11 a.m. and culminate with a 7:30 p.m. feature performance by John Fedchock, the SRU Jazz Ensemble and the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band. Admission for the feature performance is $5. The other events are free.
"John Fedchock is absolutely one of the best jazz trombone players in the world," said Kush, who performed alongside Fedchock multiple times in the last decade, including gigs with the Woody Herman Jazz Orchestra and the South Florida Jazz Orchestra. "He has a tremendous reputation through all his recordings and he's well-known in the education world because he not only plays well but he's a very good teacher and composer."
Fedchock, a New York City-based trombonist and composter, is a Grammy Award-nominated arranger whose illustrious career in jazz spans three decades. Fedchock wrote a piece for the SRU Jazz Festival called "Party Crasher," representing his big band, swing style.
"We commissioned him to write a piece for us that's never been played by anyone and it's written for the SRU Jazz Ensemble," said Kush, who directs the jazz ensemble. "Not only are we getting to play with him, but to commemorate this event we have this music which we will be calling up and playing for years to come."
Addison Winterhalter, a senior music major from Venetia, on trumpet; Kyle Strain, a senior music major from Mercer, on saxophone; and Adam Kantz, a senior music major from Beaver Falls, on vibraphone, will perform solos for "Party Crasher."
The One O'Clock Lab Band will perform in the second half of the feature performance. A seven-time Grammy-nominated group, the One O'Clock Lab Band was established at UNT in 1946 and is one of the longest-running, most-successful college jazz bands in the world.
"Their history of having a collegiate jazz ensemble is so strong that if you ask any jazz musician to name the top college jazz band in the world they would say the One O'Clock Lab Band," said Kush, who is a friend of the group's director, Alan Baylock.
The SRU Jazz Festival will also include adjudications and clinics for more than 150 students from seven local high schools from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., master classes for each jazz instrument from 4-5 p.m.; and an artist talk with Fedchock at 5 p.m.
Kush is anticipating a capacity crowd for the feature performance at 7:30 p.m. and is advising attendees to arrive early.
For more information about the event, contact Kush at jason.kush@sru.edu or 724.738.2443.
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu