Thursday, March 17, 2011

The 2011 Wichita Jazz Festival will be held April 19-23 and will host celebrated jazz artists including Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke.

The 2011 festival, titled Echoes of Africa, will focus on the influence of African art in our modern world. A number of young world-class musicians will perform throughout the week of the festival. Guitarist Lionel Loueke, singer Gretchen Parlato, saxophonist Tia Fuller, and trumpeter Sean Jones will perform at venues in Old Town and Wichita State University.

The festival will also host a number of events dedicated to jazz, Africa, and cultural education. The culmination of a year-long youth outreach program will take place during the week of the festival. The agenda includes presentations by local and regional visual artists and performances by high school and college big bands from throughout the Midwest.

For more information, visit wichitajazzfestival.com.