Music to our ears: the annual UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival to return April 21-23, bringing with it world-class musicians and performances

Bobby Sanabria, legendary jazz musician and educator to perform at the University of Northern Colorado with Lab 1 on Friday, April 22. Courtesy photo.

By Dan England

If you needed another sign the pandemic may be over, well, here’s the UNC/Greeley Jazz Festival. 

Thousands of middle-school, secondary and college students will flood the University of Northern Colorado campus in addition to the world-class jazz musicians to perform April 21-23. 

“It will be so great to interact with the students again,” said Dana Landry, director of jazz studies for UNC. 

That didn’t happen for two years. The festival went virtual, but that stole much of what makes the festival fun, including the live talks and clinics, after-hours jam sessions and the school group performances, all free and open to the public. 

The festival is also known for performances by some of the best players in the world. 

There are two shows each night, at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m., except for Saturday’s show, which is just at 4:30 p.m. Nearly all activities take place on the UNC campus. After-hours jam sessions feature the UNC jazz faculty and special guest stars (including the headliners at times) and start at 10:15 p.m. each night at the Moxi, 802 8th Ave. in downtown Greeley, and are free and open to the public. 

There are virtual live streams available for purchase. 

Stars, including the headliners, also give free talks and clinics throughout the day and share stories, their techniques and their talents as well. 

Tickets are available at arts.unco.edu/jazzfest  

Thursday  

Thursday is vocal day, so the concert features social media sensations Kings Return, headliners Vocal Revolution and Shelia Jordan, who is 93 (!) and will sing with Lab Band I. 

“She is one of the few left who was good friends with Charlie Parker,” Landry said. 

Vocal Revolution sings a mix of pop, gospel and jazz standards. Kings Return is known for singing in stairwells. 

Friday

Landry calls Friday a “percussionist’s dream.”

The Latin Jazz Explosion headlines an “onslaught of rhythm and percussion,” according to the press materials, and is supported by legendary drummer Bobby Sanabria with Lab Band I and the Pedrito Martinez Group. 

In case that wasn’t enough, rock and jazz great Greg Bissonette will give a free clinic and concert. Bissonette played with Maynard Ferguson and Santana (including on his monster hit album “Supernatural,” and he’s also known for touring with Van Halen lead singer David Lee Roth as well as playing on his first three solo albums. That will take place noon Friday in the UNC Campus Commons performance hall. 

Saturday 

You may not have heard of Wayne Bergeron, but you’ve almost certainly heard him. 

Bergeron is the lead trumpet player for the Big Phat Band and plays lead for many other gigs. He played on the “Incredibles” soundtracks (he’s the screaming trumpet) and also played with Ferguson for many years. He’s played on hundreds of other soundtracks, including the one to the new release of “West Side Story.”

Bergeron will join forces with the Zaremba Jazz Fellowship, a large jazz ensemble featuring original compositions as well as reimaginings of jazz standards, Chopin classics and Pink Floyd hits.