Doctor Harry VanVelsor founded the North Carolina Jazz Festival because he loved the music so much. At first he wanted to use it as a showcase for big band music and for Dixieland, as these were the types of music he liked. The whole thing has helped put the city of Wilmington squarely on the map.
As it's been going for more than three decades, it's fairly clear that there is a demand for it. Over the years the popularity has increased to such an extent that Bucky Pizzarelli and Ed Polcer have been booked to perform there. In the past, esteemed musicians like Bobby Rosengarden have played there. Most notably, the festival will use talent no matter how young. When he was eleven, Jonathan Russell played with Bucky Pizzarelli. He also came back to the to play when he was 12,13 and 14.
Traditionally, the Wilmington Hilton has been used as the venue for the event. Although the founder wanted to keep the music focused on Dixieland and big band, lately the organizers have tried to appeal to a broader range of taste. To do this they have branched out into other forms of the genre. The purpose of this is obviously to gain more fans and allow for a broader cross-section of people to go, but also it lets people know that there is much more to jazz.
The festival is noted for the numbers of foreigners that come across and play. There are too many to mention all of them but Anat Cohen from Israel and Jim Galloway from Canada are just two. It just goes to show how prestigious and event it really is.
The founder of the festival withdrew from actively participating since 2006, with control on the board going over to Sandy Evans, the Cape Fear Jazz Society ex-president. The North Carolina Jazz Festival is a not-for-profit organization and is run by non-paid volunteers. Its tradition of bringing excellent artists to the area will remain despite the leadership change.
Most people didn't know much about Wilmington as a city before it had a musical event like this. The city itself is along the Cape Fear River, so apart from the music, people are drawn to the riverside bars, restaurants and the beach. However, for those who like a little bit of culture as well as Jazz, there are art galleries and museums. If history is your thing then you might like the Civil War sites. The point is there is something in it for every type of tourist.
The festival has a format that means you'll be able to come along and take in the music at almost any time. The morning/afternoon slot is great for those who like to get up early, have a late breakfast or early lunch and take in some music. The afternoon/evening set is perfect for those how prefer to spend their nights by the beach or in a restaurant. And the night slot rounds off an evening about as well as could be expected.
You may not have heard of Wilmington, but you if you go to the North Carolina Jazz Festival you probably won't forget it. You'll have the chance to take in the culture of an idyllic city and listen to some of the best musicians in the USA and around the world.
As it's been going for more than three decades, it's fairly clear that there is a demand for it. Over the years the popularity has increased to such an extent that Bucky Pizzarelli and Ed Polcer have been booked to perform there. In the past, esteemed musicians like Bobby Rosengarden have played there. Most notably, the festival will use talent no matter how young. When he was eleven, Jonathan Russell played with Bucky Pizzarelli. He also came back to the to play when he was 12,13 and 14.
Traditionally, the Wilmington Hilton has been used as the venue for the event. Although the founder wanted to keep the music focused on Dixieland and big band, lately the organizers have tried to appeal to a broader range of taste. To do this they have branched out into other forms of the genre. The purpose of this is obviously to gain more fans and allow for a broader cross-section of people to go, but also it lets people know that there is much more to jazz.
The festival is noted for the numbers of foreigners that come across and play. There are too many to mention all of them but Anat Cohen from Israel and Jim Galloway from Canada are just two. It just goes to show how prestigious and event it really is.
The founder of the festival withdrew from actively participating since 2006, with control on the board going over to Sandy Evans, the Cape Fear Jazz Society ex-president. The North Carolina Jazz Festival is a not-for-profit organization and is run by non-paid volunteers. Its tradition of bringing excellent artists to the area will remain despite the leadership change.
Most people didn't know much about Wilmington as a city before it had a musical event like this. The city itself is along the Cape Fear River, so apart from the music, people are drawn to the riverside bars, restaurants and the beach. However, for those who like a little bit of culture as well as Jazz, there are art galleries and museums. If history is your thing then you might like the Civil War sites. The point is there is something in it for every type of tourist.
The festival has a format that means you'll be able to come along and take in the music at almost any time. The morning/afternoon slot is great for those who like to get up early, have a late breakfast or early lunch and take in some music. The afternoon/evening set is perfect for those how prefer to spend their nights by the beach or in a restaurant. And the night slot rounds off an evening about as well as could be expected.
You may not have heard of Wilmington, but you if you go to the North Carolina Jazz Festival you probably won't forget it. You'll have the chance to take in the culture of an idyllic city and listen to some of the best musicians in the USA and around the world.
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When you want information on the North Carolina jazz festival, visit the web pages online at www.rowanbluesandjazz.org today. You can see details about schedules and locations at http://www.rowanbluesandjazz.org now.
