Joshua Kauffman, lead trumpeter for the U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble, will be the guest artist for TJC’s annual Jazz Festival, set Thursday and Friday, March 10 and 11, on the TJC main campus.
Kauffman will share his knowledge and performance skills with young musicians from area schools during the two-day festival, which will be held in Wise Auditorium, located in the Rogers Palmer Performing Arts Center.
He will also perform with the TJC Jazz Ensembles both nights at 7:30 p.m., in Wise Auditorium. Admission is free, and the public is invited to attend.
Pre-concert performances will begin at 7 p.m. each night, with the TJC Faculty Jazz Combo performing on Thursday and the Souled Out Jazz Orchestra on Friday.
Kauffman is an in-demand performer and educator in the Washington. D.C., metropolitan area and performs at major venues such as The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Capital One Arena and Blues Alley. He teaches regularly at The National Jazz Workshop and frequently serves as a guest artist and clinician with colleges and schools throughout the U.S.
Equally at home in the jazz and classical styles, Kauffman has shared the stage with Doc Severinsen, Hugh Jackman, Randy Brecker, Bobby McFerrin, Arturo Sandoval, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, and many others.
Originally from New Castle, Pennsylvania, Kauffman attended the University of North Texas from 2014-17 and played solo and lead trumpet in the Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band. While in the One O’Clock Lab Band, he performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival and in the inaugural Cancer Blows benefit concert. He also traveled to Australia to perform at the Generations in Jazz Festival with famed multi-instrumentalist, James Morrison.
He graduated magna cum laude in 2017, with a Bachelor of Music in jazz studies. Just days before his graduation, Kauffman auditioned for and won a position with The United States Army Band, where he holds the first trumpet chair in the U.S. Army Blues, the U.S. Army’s premier jazz ensemble.
“It’s always a big thrill for us to bring someone of Josh’s caliber to come and work with our students,” said Heather Mensch, TJC music department chair and professor of trombone and jazz.
“In addition to improving their skills as players, the students get an idea of what it’s like to be a real, working musician by learning from someone who’s spent years in the profession, honing his craft,” added Micah Bell, TJC professor of trumpet and jazz, who directs both TJC jazz ensembles.
TJC Jazz Ensemble 2 students and their hometowns are: Brody Bradshaw, Bullard; Leo Chesley, Whitehouse; Will Culbertson, Paris; Ethan Davis, Flint; Shaylee Durst, Nacogdoches; Justin Eden, Canton; Isabella Giannantonio, Melissa; Tyler Hannan, Tyler; Paul Haygood, Tyler; Jose Madrid, Winona; Nataliegh McGill, Chandler; Alex Roman, Tyler; Justin Shaw, Weatherford; Cody Taylor, Tyler; Outlaw Tidwell, Lindale; Jonathan Valadez, Tyler; and Rafael Valdez, Tyler.
Clinic schedule
The festival will include music clinics and performances by jazz bands from area schools. Each group will perform for about 20 minutes on the Wise Auditorium stage, and then Kauffman will join them and offer advice on their performance.
Tyler musician and educator George Faber will also serve as a clinician with the student groups and will be featured during the evening concerts.
The public is invited to attend the daytime clinics and performances. Admission is free.
Thursday, March 10
10 a.m. — Three Lakes Middle School
11 a.m. — Redwater High School
1 p.m. — Elkhart High School
2 p.m. — Commerce High School
3 p.m. — Legacy High School
4 p.m. — Boulter Middle School
Friday, March 11
1 p.m. — Whitehouse High School
2 p.m. — Whitehouse Junior High School
For more information on TJC bands, go to TJC.edu/band.