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Friday, Nov. 8 & Saturday, Nov. 9

The goal of the Fred Sturm Jazz Celebration Weekend is to create a low-pressure clinic environment and provide an inspirational boost at the start of the school year through extended ensemble workshops with renowned clinicians, a special focus on improvisation, an absence of ratings and trophies, and a world-class list of professional jazz artists.

Below is a schedule of the weekend’s events. The events are subject to change. Please check prior to Jazz Weekend for any changes that may have occurred. All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.

Friday, Nov. 8

Performing Arts Series: René Marie & Experiment in Truth
7:30 p.m. | Memorial Chapel | Tickets Required

In a span of two decades, 11 recordings, and countless stage performances, vocalist René Marie has cemented her reputation as not only a singer but also a composer, arranger, theatrical performer, and teacher. Guided and tempered by powerful life lessons and rooted in jazz traditions laid down by Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, and other leading ladies of past generations, she borrows various elements of folk, R&B, and even classical and country to create a captivating hybrid style. Her body of work is musical, but it’s more than just music. It’s an exploration of the bright and dark corners of the human experience and an affirmation of the power of the human spirit.

Saturday, Nov. 9

Morning – Instrumental Clinics

• Big Bands with Dave Hagedorn – Harper Hall
• Big Bands with José Encarnación & Bill Carrothers – Shattuck 163
• Big Bands with Patty Darling & Mark Urness – Shattuck 156
• Combos with Tim Albright & Matt Turner – Shattuck 46

Morning – Lawrence University Jazz Combos Performances
Cloak Theater

• 9:30 a.m. – Mary Lou Combo
• 10 a.m. – Melba Combo

Instrumental masterclasses by Lawrence University jazz faculty
11:15 a.m.

• Steve Peplin: The Blues – Cloak Theater
• Tim Albright: Jazz Brass – Stansbury Theater
• Greg Riss: Drums – Harper Hall
• José Encarnación: Saxophone – Shattuck 163
• Mark Urness: Bass – Shattuck 156
• Bill Carrothers: Piano—Shattuck 46

12 p.m. – Lunch

Lawrence University Jazz Band & Jazz Ensemble concert
1:30 p.m. | Memorial Chapel | Free admission

Afternoon – instrumental clinics

• Big bands with Dave Hagedorn – Harper Hall
• Big bands with José Encarnación & Bill Carrothers – Shattuck 163
• Big bands with Patty Darling & Mark Urness – Shattuck 156
• Combos with Tim Albright & Matt Turner – Shattuck 46

Afternoon – Lawrence University Jazz Combos performances
Cloak Theater – Free admission

• 2:30-3 p.m. – Elvin Combo
• 3-3:30 p.m. – Miles Combo
• 3:30-4 p.m. – Thelonious Combo

Performing Arts Series: Sean Jones Quartet
7:30 p.m. | Memorial Chapel | Tickets Required

Music and spirituality converge in the multifaceted career of Sean Jones, trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator, and activist. Raised in Warren, Ohio, his journey from church choir to jazz stages reflects his versatility and dedication. Whether leading an ensemble or collaborating, Jones excels across genres. A former lead trumpeter for Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and member of SFJAZZ Collective, his leadership cultivates talent and produces acclaimed recordings. Notable collaborations include performances with jazz luminaries like Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Jones’s legacy, spanning eight albums on Mack Avenue Records, including 2017’s Sean Jones: Live from the Jazz Bistro, underscores his enduring impact on contemporary jazz.