UCLA Jazz Musicians Play at Mammoth Jazz Festival
UCLA Global Jazz Ensemble Performs at Mammoth JazzFest
The UCLA Global Jazz Ensemble, a group of six jazz students from the Herb Alpert School of Music, recently graced the stage at the Mammoth JazzFest. This free summer festival, known for its mission to refresh, renew, and reinvent jazz, provided a perfect way to kick off the summer, according to pianist Kimiko Daniels.
The ensemble, which includes Daniels (piano), Dobrev (bass), Gilliam (trumpet), Ennis Harris (saxophone), Kersey-Wilson (trombone), and Siciliano (drums), presented a varied repertoire under the direction of acclaimed trombonist Duane Benjamin, a lecturer in the Global Jazz Studies program at the Herb Alpert School of Music.
The UCLA Global Jazz Ensemble is part of the school's broader global jazz and interdisciplinary music programs. This program encourages students to think globally about the capacity of jazz to transform the musical and political world it engages. The school builds upon UCLA's strong jazz studies and world music foundation, emphasizing a global perspective in its approach to jazz.
The people of Mammoth were described as being very nice by Kimiko Daniels. Playing in the woods during the festival, she said, was a unique, euphoric, and in-the-moment experience. The performances took place at the Village at Mammoth.
The ensemble performed sets on both days of the festival, which coincided with the first day of summer in 2019. The Mammoth JazzFest is a well-known jazz event often featuring collegiate ensembles and professional artists within the jazz community, making it a suitable venue for university-affiliated global jazz ensembles to perform.
While specific details on the UCLA Global Jazz Ensemble's background and focus are not highlighted explicitly, it can be inferred that their mission aligns with UCLA’s broader commitment to global jazz studies—fostering creativity, cultural respect, and jazz as a unifying art form.
For more information about the UCLA Global Jazz Ensemble, their upcoming performances, and the Global Jazz Studies program, visit this link.
The UCLA Global Jazz Ensemble, dedicated to fostering creativity, cultural respect, and jazz as a unifying art form, not only showcases their jazz skills at performances like the Mammoth JazzFest but also prioritizes education and self-development within their global jazz and interdisciplinary music programs. On their downtime, they might find entertainment in music, perhaps appreciating the diverse repertoire they themselves frequently perform.
