Clifford Brown Year Round Celebrates International Jazz Day With Concert And Awards Ceremony On April 30 In Wilmington

Press release from the City of Wilmington:

April 23, 2021

Virtual and in-person event will feature music from trumpeter Terell Stafford and the Clifford Brown Festival Band; FREE virtual Artists Forum to follow on Saturday, May 1

Mayor Mike Purzycki and Cultural Affairs Director Tina Betz invite you to Cityfest, Inc.’s inaugural Clifford Brown International Jazz Day Concert on Friday, April 30 at 7 p.m. The concert and awards ceremony, which will take place virtually and in-person at the Delaware Theater Company, will feature a performance by trumpeter Terell Stafford and the Clifford Brown Festival Band led by Gerald Chavis and are part of the City of Wilmington’s International Jazz Day Festivities. Virtual viewing is Pay-What-You-Wish, while tickets for in-person attendance are $25. Tickets can be purchased at www.cityfestwilm.com/events.

Director Betz will emcee the event and make a special announcement about the 2021 Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. She will also name the honorees for the following awards: Clifford Brown Legacy Award; Clifford Brown Advocacy, Volunteerism & Philanthropy in Jazz Award; Clifford Brown Young & Swinging Award; and the Clifford Brown Top Jazz Presenter Award.

Proceeds from the Clifford Brown Year Round series support programs like the Urban Artist Exchange, the Arts Work Summer Youth Apprenticeship Program, and the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival.

Clifford Brown Year Round is presented by Cityfest, Inc. and the City of Wilmington with generous support from The Delaware Theatre Company, The Delaware Division of the Arts, WRTI 90.1 FM, The Kenny Family Foundation, Delmarva Power, An Excelon Company, Gerald Chavis Music, Flux Creative Consulting, The Christina Cultural Arts Center, and The Delaware Contemporary.

Following Friday’s awards concert, jazz lovers are invited to participate in a FREE virtual Performing Arts Forum on Saturday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., also hosted by Cityfest, Inc. This event will feature conversations with professional musicians, presenters, and agents to influence and inspire up and coming jazz musicians. Forum workshops include “Getting Your Act Together: Turning Pro” with moderator Jonathan Whitney, and “Taking It to The Next Level: Preparing for Performing Artist/Agency Management” moderated by Tina Betz and Raye Jones Avery. For panelists and more information, and to register for the Artists Forum, click here.

International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and jazz enthusiasts all over the world to celebrate and learn about jazz and its roots, its future, and its impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication.

This press release was produced by the City of Wilmington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.