Jazz musicians are set to open The Princeton Festival’s 10th season, titled The New World: Voices of the Americas.
Three a cappella vocal jazz groups are set to take the stage in Princeton University’s Taplin Auditorium 8 p.m. June 7, followed by a performance by the Jazz Wind Quartet 4:30 p.m. June 8 in Clark Music center in Lawrenceville.
The festival’s opening performance features jazz groups Round Midnight, Blue Jupiter, and West Side 5.
An outgrowth of barbershop, a cappella groups have burgeoned since the Whiffenpoofs, the Four Freshmen, and the Mills Brothers laid the groundwork many years ago. High schools and colleges today proudly claims its own ensembles, and professional a cappella jazz is heard around the world with many competitions and awards proclaiming its popularity.
The three appearing in the festival are among those winners.
Round Midnight brought a cappella jazz to The Princeton Festival last year for the first time, scoring high praise and demand for a repeat performance. They sing largely in barbershop style, but barbershop applied to R&B, pop, jazz, and rock.
Joining them will be the prize-winning Blue Jupiter, voted “audience favorite” many times at the Harmony Sweepstakes. The group is known for its high energy pop and rock, jazzy harmonies and funky beatbox.
Third on the program is West Side 5, the winner and audience favorite at the Mid-Atlantic Sweepstakes in its first year. Sophisticated is the word for West Side 5, with original arrangements and complex harmonies earning CARA nominations for Best Jazz album and Best Jazz Song.
Martin Wind is a native of Germany where he earned a classical music diploma in Cologne. He moved on to New York where he won a master’s in jazz performance and composition in 1997. He became established as a sideman and studio musician working with classical and jazz artists alike, while a member of the faculties of NYU and Hostra.
Several years ago he formed his own working band with Scott Robinson on trumpet and saxophone, L.A. professional Bill Cuniffe on piano, and New York jazz drummer Tim Horner, all with long careers with top jazz bands and artists.
Now in its 10th anniversary season, The Princeton Festival is set for June 7 to June 29 at venues throughout the Princeton area. The festival offers a wide variety of musical performances, including George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.
More information is online at princetonfestival.org.
