Jazz Room Series at William Paterson University Presents Gala Anniversary Event on October 20

--Event includes concert by renowned trumpeter Clark Terry and opening reception for photography exhibit "25 Years of the Jazz Room at William Paterson University"

The Jazz Room Series at William Paterson University, one of the largest and most prestigious college-sponsored jazz events in the country, celebrates its 25th with a gala concert and gallery opening on Sunday, October 20 on the University’s campus in Wayne.

Renowned trumpeter Clark Terry, who performed in the Count Basie and Duke Ellington bands, performs at 4 p.m. in Shea Center. Joining Terry for the concert will be pianist James Williams, director of the Jazz Studies Program at William Paterson University, and bassist Marcus McLaurine. Admission prices are $20 standard, $12 for senior citizens, members of the William Paterson community and students. Tickets include admission to "Sittin’ In," an informal discussion with the afternoon’s performers, at 3 p.m. in Shea 101.

Born in St. Louis, Clark Terry made his first trumpet out of garden hose, attended Vashon High School, and played in local clubs before joining a Navy band during World War II. His years with Count Basie and Duke Ellington in the late 1940s and 1950s established him as a world-class jazz artist. Blending the St. Louis tone of his youth with contemporary styles, Terry’s sound influenced a generation, including Miles Davis. Also a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, Terry was a standout in the NBC-TV Orchestra for 12 years before he left to form his own bands and continue recording. Clark Terry was inducted into the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Hall of Fame in 1991.

The concert will be preceded by an opening reception from 1 to 3 p.m. in the University’s Ben Shahn Galleries for "25 Years of The Jazz Room at William Paterson University," an exhibit of photographs by JoAnn Krivin. Krivin, whose husband Martin Krivin founded the Jazz Room Series during his tenure as a William Paterson professor of music, has chronicled the numerous jazz artists who performed on campus. Featured in the exhibit are black and white photos of some of the jazz world’s most well-known musicians, including Sonny Rollins, Joe Williams, Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Milt Hinton, Jane Ira Bloom, Rufus Reid, and others, all in performance at William Paterson. A commemorative book of the photographs is being produced in conjunction with the exhibit. Admission is free.

Launched in 1978, the Jazz Room Series is one of the largest and most prestigious college-sponsored jazz events in the country. Performers include renowned professionals who encompass the complete spectrum of jazz, from practitioners of traditional jazz to avant-garde to bebop to swing to Afro-Latin jazz – as well as William Paterson’s own student ensembles. The series has won numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts for its innovative programming.
For information, call the Shea Center for Performing Arts Box Office at 973-720-2371.

# # #

10/15/02
For Further Information, contact:

Mary Beth Zeman, Director, Public Relations 973-720-2966