NJCU to Host Afro-Peruvian Jazz Festival May 2- 5

Festival Highlights Include Master Classes, Performances, and High School Band Competition

This week, NJCU hosts its first-ever Afro-Peruvian Jazz Festival. With the dual goal of educating and entertaining audiences on campus and throughout the Jersey City community about this recent phenomenon in Latin jazz music, the festival includes performances by the Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet and the Lima Interescolar Big Band from Peru, master classes by visiting artists, and a competition for local high school jazz bands. 

The schedule for the Afro-Peruvian Jazz Festival includes:

Wednesday, May 2, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Afro-Peruvian jazz music master class. Featuring Freddy "Huevito" Lobaton, Hugo Alcazar, John Benitez, Laura Andrea Leguia and Pablo Canela. (Rossey Hall, Room 105)

Thursday, May 3, 7:00 p.m.:  The Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet in concert, with a post-show reception courtesy of the Peruvian Trade Commission (West Side Theatre)

Tickets ($5-$15): http://bit.ly/2qlsYxs

Friday, May 4:  The Lima Interescolar Big Band, a group of talented students from Lima, Peru, spends the day at NJCU attending classes and taking master classes.

Saturday, May 5:  NJCU International Jazz Festival. High school bands from New Jersey and New York will compete and learn about Afro-Peruvian jazz music, with a command performance by the NJCU Jazz Ensemble featuring master drummer Hugo Alcazar from Peru. (Margaret Williams Theatre, Hepburn Hall)

All activities are open to the public, and other than the ticketed performance on May 3, are free to observe. The festival is funded by the NJCU Office of the Provost.  

Contact jazz@njcu.edu for more information.