BC Brass Band bringing jazz legends in for spring concert
The Brass Band of Battle Creek is going to be bringing a taste of New Orleans to music lovers with its 2023 spring concert.
Featuring special guest performances by New Orleans jazz clarinetist Doreen Ketchens and jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, the Brass Band of Battle Creek is proving again its ability to bring the world of music to W.K. Kellogg Auditorium.
"Again and again, over 30 years, we have brought the best musicians in the United States here to Battle Creek," said Jerry Rose, BBBC education director. "When you do it again and again, and we talk about who is coming, it can seem like old news. But the exciting part of this is the fantastic talent that chooses to join us each time we hold a concert."
The spring concert is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on May 20 at W.K. Kellogg Auditorium. Tickets are available at www.bbbc.net or by calling the box office at (269) 789-2222.
Ketchens, also known at 'Lady Louis' because of her ability to hit and hold powerful high notes and her love of Louis Armstrong's performance style, has performed with such artists as Elis Marsalis, Al Hirt, Trombone Shorty and The Black Crows. She was recently featured on 'CBS Sunday Morning' and has performed on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'.
Gordon, named Trombonist of the Year a record-breaking 15 times by the Jazz Journalists Association, was also the 2018 recipient of the Louis Armstrong House Museum's 'Louie Award'. He is a former veteran member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and has been a featured guest artist on Billy Taylor's 'Jazz at the Kennedy Center' series.
"Doreen is at the top of her game and we contacted her about coming here and she said, 'absolutely, I'll come and play'," said Shannon Aikins, executive director of the Brass Band of Battle Creek. "To have those kind of people to play along with the Battle Creek Brass Band, is pretty incredible.
"This is the kind of talent we can bring in because of the reputation of the top notch talent we have in Battle Creek."
Along with the main event, the guest artists will also be participating in the Young Peoples Concert on the Friday morning before the show at 9 a.m. on May 19, where traditionally W.K. Kellogg Auditorium has approximately 1,900-plus students in attendance from area schools.
Contact Bill Broderick at bbroderi@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow him on Twitter @billbroderick.
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: BC Brass Band bringing jazz legends in for spring concert
