BOONE—Duke Ellington, Wes Montgomery and Count Basie are among the composers whose work will be performed April 9 by jazz ensembles from Appalachian State University’s Hayes School of Music.

The concert begins at 8 p.m. in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts on campus. Admission is free.

Todd Wright directs Appalachian Jazz Ensemble I. The group will perform “Twisted Blues” by Wes Montgomery, “People” by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, “Cherry Juice” by Thad Jones, “Love Has Passed Me By, Again” by Billy Strayhorn, “Perdido” by Duke Ellington, and “Olive Street” and “Slammin’ Claudio Roditi” by Will Campbell.

Appalachian Jazz Ensemble II directed by Rod Berry will perform “April in Paris” by Vernon Duke, “Baja” by Greg Yasinitsky, “Blues in Hoss Flat” by Frank Foster and Count Basie, “Miles Black” by Les Hooper and “In the Mood” by Joe Garland.

Joining the musicians is trumpeter James Ketch.

Ketch is a professor at UNC Chapel Hill, He is active as a trumpet performer, conductor, educator and Summit Recording Artist. His UNC Jazz Band has performed abroad at festivals in France, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and in New Orleans.

In conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center, Ketch has hosted nine regional Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Festivals at UNC. He has also conducted all-state jazz bands in North and South Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Louisiana, and he has led regional jazz bands in North Carolina, the District of Columbia, Virginia and Tennessee.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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