Tuesday, April 02, 2002

WILMINGTON, NC – Vocalist Melva Houston will perform a benefit jazz concert with the UNCW Big Band at 8 p.m., Friday, April 19, in Kenan Auditorium. This performance is made possible with funding from the Cape Fear Jazz Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and presentation of jazz. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for UNCW faculty and staff, free to UNCW students with valid ID and available at the Kenan Auditorium Box Office the night of the concert. Proceeds will fund scholarships for students in the UNCW Jazz Studies Program.

At the age of 16, Melva Houston became a backup singer for Stax Records where she worked with artists such as Isaac Hayes, Wilson Picket, Sam and Dave. She later toured Europe with The Platters and starred in a “Motown Revue.” Houston also enjoyed a successful solo career that included the release of five recordings. One reviewer wrote of her, “The lady has a stage presence and earthy charm that is at once magnetic and endearing.”

The UNCW Big Band, under the direction of Frank Bongiorno, will perform various works, including compositions arranged by jazz faculty member Jerald Shynett. The UNCW Lab Band, directed by Steve Morgan, will open the concert.

For more concert information, contact the Department of Music at 962-3390. A photo of Houston is available to download from the Web at www.uncwil.edu/news/releases/april02/houston.html.