March 28, 2024
Annapolis, US 49 F

AACC Hosts World Class Jazz Series Featuring Master Guitarists

Howard Alden

Experience the best in jazz right in your own backyard when Anne Arundel Community College hosts the “World Class Jazz Series, the Art of the Jazz Guitar,” a combination of jazz clinics and jazz performances sponsored by the Jazz Studies area of the AACC Performing Arts department and the AACC Student Association.

Each of the master guitarists will share professional insights with the audience at free clinics from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Cade Center for Fine Arts Room 224. Then, they will perform at 8 p.m. the same day in the Humanities Building Room 112. The performances cost $15, with reservations suggested.

The four-part series begins Sept. 14 with guitarists Howard Alden and Jack Wilkins and vocalist Jeanne Gies. Alden has been playing the seven-string guitar since 1992. A Concord Jazz recording artist since the 1980s, Alden was voted “Best Emerging Talent-Guitar” in 1990 in the Jazz Times critic poll and he has continued to win accolades for his virtuosity and originality. Wilkins has been on the international jazz scene since the 1970s and teaches at The New School, Manhattan School of Music, New York University and Long Island University. Gies brings a smooth seductive singing style and creative expression to her vocal accompaniments, which has led her to vocal/guitar duos with some of the guitar greats.

Jack Wilkins

The second in the series is Nov. 2 and features Richard Miller, who brings the Latin sounds of his partial Brazilian heritage to his playing, and Jason Ennis, who offers a deep groove to a diverse background in jazz, blues, Brazilian themes and classical music.

Julian Lage, who tells compelling stories through his interpretative performances and recordings, will be featured at the third clinic and performance on Feb. 15. The night-time performance for this third presentation of the series will be in the Robert E. Kauffman Theater of the Pascal Center for Performing Arts.

Jeanne Gies

The fourth and final part of the series is May 3 and showcases Frank Vignola, whom the legendary Les Paul named as one of his five most admired guitarists, and Vinny Raniolo, the youngest of the guitarists in the series at age 26, who has an eclectic style gained from his tours of the United States, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

For information about the series, visit www.aacc.edu/worldclassjazz. To order tickets, contact the AACC box office at [email protected] or 410-777-2457.

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