Thursday, September 26, 2002

Wilmington, NC –UNC Wilmington’s Big Band and the Jazz Combo will present its first concert of the 2002-03 season at 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 4, in UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium.

The UNCW Jazz Combo, directed by Jerald Shynett, will open the program with jazz standards and original compositions.

The UNCW Big Band’s program will include a variety of music made famous by the big bands of Thad Jones, Budd Rich, Bob Mintzer, and others. Under the direction of Frank Bongiorno, the Big Band performs swing through bebop and modern style music.

The UNCW Jazz Combo was featured in the second annual student’s edition of JAZZIZ, on Disc: The College Years II. Members of the combo are: Shawn Higgins, pianist; Shaun Mahoney, guitarist; Mike Colon and Brian Watson, saxophonists; John Fulkerson, trombonist; Mike Ounallah, drummer; and Matt Ryder, bassist.

On the Edge, a new CD, is one of four recordings by the UNCW Big Bands. The recording features the 2000-01 UNCW Big Band and the 2002 Jazz Combo with several UNCW jazz faculty soloists including Jerald Shynett, trombone; Frank Bongiorno, alto saxophone; Bob Russell, guitar; Andy Whittington, piano; and Steve Morgan, trumpet. Copies of On the Edge will be for sale for $15.

Concert tickets are $5 for the public; $2.50 for UNCW faculty and staff, senior citizens, and children under twelve; and free to UNCW students with a valid ID. They will be on sale at the Kenan Auditorium Box Office on the night of the concert.

For more information, contact the Department of Music at 910/962-3390.