January 4, 2008 For Immediate Release For additional information:  Barbara Kerr, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing Telephone:  360-992-2921 E-mail: bkerr@clark.edu

COOL JAZZ.  HOT PERFORMANCES

Clark College will host its 46th Annual Jazz Festival
from January 24-26, 2008 

VANCOUVER, Wash. – Clark College will celebrate the best young musical talent in the region – and honor an American art form  – during the 46th Annual Clark College Jazz Festival.

The jazz festival will be held from January 24-26, 2008 in Gaiser Hall, located on the northwest corner of the college’s main campus.  Clark College is located at 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver.   Free parking will be available in the college’s red, yellow, green and purple parking lots.

The competitive high school jazz festival will showcase 57 high school jazz bands and vocal jazz ensembles from across Oregon and Washington, as well as featured performances by the Clark College Jazz Ensemble, Clark College Vocal Jazz Ensemble, and the 2007 jazz festival sweepstakes winner, the jazz band from Mountlake Terrace High School.  

Forty-four jazz bands and thirteen vocal ensembles are scheduled to perform in this year’s high school competition with awards presented to the top three groups in each class, A through AAAA.  The sweepstakes trophy and the honor to be featured at next year’s festival will be presented to the most outstanding band participating in the festival.  Additionally, awards will be presented to outstanding vocal and instrumental soloists throughout the entire festival.

Preliminary competitions take place on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with final competitions each evening at 7 p.m.  Vocal jazz groups will compete on Thursday, January 24, in A, AA, and AAA divisions.  On Friday, January 25, the A and AA division jazz bands will compete, with AAA and AAAA jazz bands taking the stage on Saturday, January 26. 

Admission is $5 per day.  Clark College students and children under 12 accompanied by an adult will be admitted free of charge.

The Clark College Vocal Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Janet Reiter, will be featured at noon and 9 p.m. on Thursday.  The Clark College Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Clark’s new Director of Bands, Rich Inouye, will be featured on Friday at noon and 9 p.m. and on Saturday at noon.  The 2007 Sweepstakes Band, Mountlake Terrace High School, directed by Darin Faul, will hold the spotlight on Saturday evening at 9:00 p.m.

For additional information, please contact the Clark College Music Department at 360-992-2188 or 360-992-2662.

-30-