Jazz It Up

The University of North Texas' celebrated One O'Clock Lab Band, the North Texas Jazz Singers and the Kenny Barron Trio will headline the Seventh Annual North Texas Jazz Festival Thursday through Sunday at the Hotel InterContinental, 15201 Dallas Parkway in Addison. But it's not all big names on campus. Aspiring youngsters will get the opportunity to rub elbows with heavyweights. Student jazz bands from 67 colleges, universities and high schools will compete in free daytime performances during the two-day event. Paid evening performances will feature the University of North Texas Music School's own Grammy-nominated groups, accompanied by a roster of revered professional jazz musicians. Jazz great Kenny Barron (for one), whose name is linked with Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Stan Getz, will perform Saturday evening, offering up his famously elegant brand of piano. Master classes on Friday afternoon, taught by UNT's jazz faculty, will be open to the public and free of charge. The evening performances, at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, will cost $25 for students and $30 for non-students. Call 1-888-512-SHOW or visit frontgatetickets.com.
March 29-April 1