The Department of Music at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) welcomes guests and players to attend the 54th Annual Jazz Festival on Thursday, Feb. 15, and Friday, Feb. 16 on the Weatherford campus, with performances from featured guests, the Terell Stafford Quintet.
The 1st Annual SWOSU Jazz Festival, held on Jan. 8, 1971, marked the beginning of a longstanding tradition. Dr. Terry Segress initiated the festival, with Dr. Keith Talley assuming leadership in 2007, and it is now directed by Dr. Richard Tirk.
Other past guest artists have featured Allen Vizzutti, Rich Matteson, Diane Reeves, Jamey Aebersold, Frank Mantooth, Pete Christlieb, Bobby Shew, Bill Watrous, Paquito D’Rivera, Eddie Daniels, Dan Haerle, Byron Stripling, Carl Fontana, Bobby Watson, John Clayton, Jeff Clayton, Matt Wilson, Donny McCaslin, Sean Jones, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, and Randy Brecker, among many others.
Regional university, high school, and middle school jazz bands are invited to perform for comments and ratings during the festival. The entry deadline is Friday, Jan 19. Visit this page for more information: https://swosujazz.weebly.com/director- information.html.
The jazz festival is generously supported by the SWOSU Foundation. For those interested in supporting SWOSU Jazz through donations, used to provide participating high school bands with music masterclasses and featured artists and organizers with accommodations, visit the SWOSU Foundation page: https://swosufoundation.com/give/ give-to-swosu-jazz/.
The 2024 SWOSU Jazz Festival kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 15 with a free concert by the Terell Stafford Quintet. Beginning at 7 p.m. in the SWOSU Fine Arts Center Auditorium, listeners can expect a one-of-a-kind concert with world-class artists. The evening will conclude with a SWOSU Jazz Festival “Kick-Back” at the Best Western Lobby Lounge. This will be a free event to celebrate the start of the Jazz Festival with returning and new attendees.
On Friday, Feb. 16, the Big Band Competition begins at 9 a.m. in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium. Jazz education clinics by the Terell Stafford Quintet at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. are open to the public at Hilltop Theatre. The SWOSU Jazz Orchestra with Terell Stafford will perform at 1 p.m. at the Fine Arts Center Auditorium. General admission is $25, $15 for seniors, and $5 for students. “On Tap with Terell,” a cocktail hour with Terell Stafford co-hosted by the Weatherford Arts Council, starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Timothy T. Day Business Enterprise Center, with tickets available for $15. The final concert with the SWOSU Jazz Orchestra, featuring Terell Stafford, will begin at 8 p.m. in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium, with admission remaining the same.
Tickets for paid performances and the “On Tap with Terell” event can be purchased online: www. stubwire.com/event/the54thannualswosujazzfestivalfttheterrellstaff ordquartet/fineartscenteratswosu/ weatherford/30495/.
