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= North Carolina Central University Jazz Studies program =

The North Carolina Central University Jazz Studies program (also known as NCCU Jazz) is the jazz music studies program associated with North Carolina Central University, a member of the North Carolina University system. The program trains students to be researchers, teachers, composers and performers who specialize in jazz. NCCU Jazz has been designated as an Area of Distinction within the state university system.

North Carolina Central University's Jazz Studies program offers the only graduate level jazz studies degree available in North Carolina. NCCU Jazz was the first in the state to offer a Bachelor's Degree in Music Arts for Jazz Studies, Composition and Performance in 1979. The program is one of only two among the nation’s 105 historically Black colleges and universities to offer a master’s degree in Jazz studies.

NCCU Jazz is the only school in North Carolina to offer a comprehensive vocal jazz component.

The tagline of the NCCU Jazz Studies program, "Where Jazz Still Swings" offers testimony to the highest standard of excellence and dedication to the art of Jazz in its purest  form as exemplified by the masters of 20th-century Jazz. The pedigrees of the people who started and run the program today are a who's who of performers who played with or apprenticed directly under those masters, creating a direct lineage from the earliest roots of Jazz to NCCU students today.

Current Faculty

 * Dr. Ira Wiggins, Director of the Jazz Program, Jazz Ensemble Director, Saxophone instructor
 * Baron Tymas, Assistant Director of the Jazz Program, Jazz Combos, Guitar instructor
 * Lenora Helm Hammonds pka Lenora Zenzalai Helm, Vocal Jazz Ensemble Director, Jazz Voice instructor
 * Robert Trowers, Jazz History, Jazz Combos, Trombone instructor
 * Arnold George, Saxophone instructor
 * Thomas Taylor, Percussion instructor
 * Edmund Paolantonio, Jazz improvisation, Vocal Jazz ensemble, Piano instructor
 * Damon Brown, Jazz Combos, Bass instructor
 * Albert Strong, Trumpet instructor
 * Aaron Hill, Jazz Ensemble 2, Saxophone instructor
 * Talbott (Maurice) Myers, Jazz Voice instructor
 * Branford Marsalis - Artist in Residence
 * Joey Calderazzo - Artist in Residence

Leadership

 * Dr. Joseph T. Mitchell 1967 - 1972
 * Mr. Marvin Bynum        1972 - 1974
 * Mr. Stanley Baird         1974 - 1977
 * Mr. William Moon        1978 - 1982
 * Dr. Robert Luckey       1982 - 1986
 * Dr. Ira Wiggins             1986 - current

Area of Distinction
The NCCU Jazz has been recognized in the state university system to be an "Area of Distinction".

"Each constituent institution has identified two areas of distinction that will have a significant impact and that will serve as public indicators of institutional effectiveness and quality by meeting certain goals and metrics for excellence."

History
===Mis-reported dissolution of the Jazz Studies program in 2015 ===

A number of news media outlets, including newspapers and TV stations, got the story wrong when they misinterpreted a move by the UNC Board of Governors allowing realignment of NCCU music concentrations as a purging of the undergraduate Jazz studies major.

The misunderstanding was quickly corrected, but it was not quick enough to prevent the resultant uproar from supporters of the program worldwide who flooded school phones and mailboxes before they learned of the error in the media's reporting on the topic.

===History of North Carolina Central University’s Jazz Studies program ===

"The Jazz Studies Program at North Carolina Central University has a forty-one year history which began in 1967.  [Initially, jazz was deemed as inappropriate for serious music academic study in higher education and playing jazz music was actually considered a subversive act due to the close associations of jazz and black history in the United States. (needs citation)]

Although this was the case in most institutions of higher learning throughout the United States, it was a much more daunting task to convince Music Departments in Historically Black Colleges and Universities to include jazz music courses in the curriculum. As a result of student interest and dedicated faculty members who created an environment for jazz study beyond their normal teaching duties, jazz began to find its place in the Department of Music at North Carolina Central University.

One of the early pioneers was Dr. Joseph T. Mitchell, alumnus and professor emeritus in the Department of Music. From 1967 through 1972 Dr. Mitchell, Director of Bands, also served as an advisor and director for students who were sincerely interested in the study and performance of jazz. He guided these students and gave them a sense that their pursuits were worthwhile. Saxophonist and educator Stanley Baird was one of those interested students and he also functioned as a student director from 1968 through 1971. Mr. Baird also an NCCU alumnus, was a motivating force in convincing other students to become involved in the “stage” band as it was termed in those early years.

Marvin Bynum, trumpeter and jazz enthusiast, took the reins of the burgeoning jazz ensemble during the Spring Semester of 1972. Under his guidance, students participated on a volunteer basis often for no college credit. Nonetheless, their enthusiasm for jazz was continued through the return of Mr. Baird, who returned in 1974 as an adjunct professor in the Department of Music. [A grant from the North Carolina Department of Health, Education and Welfare helped get an official curriculum started in 1975.] Mr. Baird took the program forward through 1977 and students taking “stage band” could now receive credit.

Baird’s three-year stint proved to be a very significant period for the development of the jazz program. Dr. Eugene Strassler, Chair of the Department of Music, Stanley Baird, and legendary trumpeter Donald Byrd created a jazz curriculum, which led to the development of a jazz degree program. North Carolina Central University became the first UNC-system or private (Public) university in the state of North Carolina to offer the Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Performance. Mr. Byrd initiated a jazz degree program at Howard University prior to his tenure at NCCU. While at NCCU, he created two professional recording groups (New Central Connection Unlimited and 125th New York City Band). Donald Byrd was a member of the Department of Music faculty until 1982.

Mr. William Moon, saxophonist/flutist was the Director of Jazz Studies from 1978-1982. His brother Edward Moon, bassist also served an adjunct instructor, which was necessary due to  increasing enrollment and the expanded course offerings. Dr. Robert Luckey, saxophonist, led the program from 1982 through 1986. The program began to garner support from the local and state community during those years; however student interest began to slowly decline.

In 1986, Dr. Ira Wiggins, saxophonist/flutist returned to his alma mater as Director of Jazz Studies. He inherited a program that consisted of a jazz ensemble comprised of six horns and a rhythm section, and two jazz studies majors. [In 1987, the United States Congress designates jazz as a national American treasure. ] After the initial three years of revising the program, the jazz studies program developed a measure of consistency, which began in 1990. From that time until the present, the program has earned a national and international reputation for excellence in performance and academics."

Accomplishments

 * celebrated the 25th anniversary of the annual NCCU Jazz Festival in 2015
 * development of 15th Annual Fall Guest Artist Series
 * performances at the U.S. White House
 * performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland
 * performances in Lyon and Paris, France
 * performance at the Newport Jazz Festival
 * performance at the Detroit Jazz Festival
 * state and national performances at educational conferences
 * establishment of a Master’s degree in Jazz Music Performance and Composition.
 * first vocal group invited to perform at the Collegiate Jazz Festival, Notre Dame
 * appearances at New York Jazz Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center
 * graduates from the jazz studies program are today's public school and university teachers and professional performers

Jazz Festival
The North Carolina Central University Jazz Festival was initiated in the spring of 1990. The guest artist for the inaugural festival was Art Blakey alumnus and pianist Donald Brown. Since then, the NCCU Jazz Studies program has maintained an annual schedule over the years with the exception of 1994 when the concert hall was under renovation. Thus, 2015 will mark the 25th anniversary of the NCCU Jazz Festival.

The vision for the festival was comprised of three major objectives: (1) to provide an opportunity for music majors to interact with and be exposed to nationally and internationally known jazz artist, (2) to provide the campus community (students, faculty, and staff) along with the Research Triangle, and neighboring community an opportunity to share in these experiences and (3) to provide a forum through workshops, lectures and master classes in addition to the actual performances which would teach, inspire and inform the public about jazz’s rich history.

In 2001, the format grew from a one-night festival into a weekend event with headliners on Friday and Saturday nights. In 2009, the festival grew into a weeklong endeavor featuring student ensembles, faculty group performances, lectures, workshops and the Vocal Jazz Summit.

(citation needed)

Partial Summary of Annual Events and Performances

 * NCCU Jazz Ensemble & Vocal Jazz Ensemble concert
 * Percussion, String & Guitar Ensembles Student Concert
 * NCCU Jazz Studies Open House
 * NCCU Vocal Jazz Summit
 * NCCU Jazz Studies Trombone Summit
 * NCCU Vocal Jazz Combos
 * NCCU Instrumental Jazz Combos
 * Keep the Vision Alive Benefit Concert w/NCCU Jazz Ensemble & Vocal Jazz Ensemble
 * NCCU Jazz Faculty Holiday Concert
 * NCCU Jazz Ensemble & Vocal Jazz Ensemble performances
 * Martin Luther King, Jr. Cultural Celebration
 * Annual Valentine's Day Concert
 * NCCU Jazz Ensemble + Duke University Jazz Band + UNC Chapel Hill Jazz Ensemble performace hosted @ Duke University
 * Annual NCCU Jazz Festival Instrumental Jazz Combo Concert
 * Annual NCCU Jazz Festival Vocal Jazz Combo Concert
 * Annual NCCU Jazz Festival Faculty Concert
 * Annual NCCU Jazz Festival with Guest Artist Concert
 * Annual Percussion concert and fundraiser - Give the Drummer some
 * Annual attendees at Jazz Educators Network Conference (JEN)

NCCU Vocal Jazz Ensemble (VJE)

 * 1st Soprano, First Chair Voice
 * 1st Soprano, Second Chair Voice
 * 2nd Soprano, First Chair Voice
 * 2nd Soprano, Second Chair Voice
 * 1st Alto, First Chair Voice
 * 1st Alto, Second Chair Voice
 * 2nd Alto, First Chair Voice
 * 2nd Alto, Second Chair Voice
 * 1st Tenor, First Chair Voice
 * 1st Tenor, Second Chair Voice
 * 2nd Tenor, First Chair Voice
 * 2ndt Tenor, Second Chair Voice
 * 1st Baritone, First Chair Voice
 * 2nd Baritone, Second Chair Voice
 * 1st Bass, First Chair Voice
 * 2nd Bass, Second Chair Voice
 * VJE Rhythm Section - Piano
 * VJE Rhythm Section - Bass
 * VJE Rhythm Section - Guitar
 * VJE Rhythm Section - Drums
 * VJE Rhythm Section - Jazz Percussion

NCCU Jazz Ensemble

 * 1st Alto Sax
 * 1st Tenor Sax
 * 1st Trumpet
 * 1st Trombone
 * Piano
 * Bass
 * Guitar
 * Drums
 * Bari. Sax
 * 4th Trumpet
 * 2nd Trombone
 * 2nd Alto Sax
 * 2nd Tenor Sax
 * 3rd Trombone
 * 4th Trombone
 * 2nd Trumpet
 * 3rd Trumpet
 * Jazz Percussion

Partial list of NCCU Jazz graduates
James Gates           Virginia State University • Assistant Professor

Albert Strong            Trumpet Instructor - NCCU, Founder of the Art of Cool Festival

LeRoy Barley            Duke University • Shaw University Trumpet Instructor

Jonovan Cooper            Ethiopia – School of Music • Jazz Studies

Jordan Kane                Touring with Cruise Line

Eve Cornelius            Performing & Recording, New York

Mavis Poole                Performing & Recording, New York

Ameen Saleem            Performing, Recording, Touring/Roy Hargrove, Count Basie Orchestra

Marc Davis                Durham School of The Arts

Kenneth Fears            Virginia Public Schools

Damon Brown                NC Central University • Adjunct Instructor, Performing & Touring

Harold Greene            Minister of Music, Peoria, Illinois

Hatalee Anderson        North Carolina Public Schools

Brian Horton            University of Northern Colorado

Jamel Harris            North Carolina Public Schools

Chris Hankins            Wake Forest University – Adjunct Instructor

Quinton Parker            North Carolina Central University

Michael Petersen        Durham Public Schools

Anthony J. Brown        Performing Professionally, Houston, TX

Adia Ledbetter            Durham Public Schools, Durham Tech

Wells Gordon            Husson University

Harvey Cummings            Charlotte/Mecklenburg Public Schools

Tamisha Waden            NC Central University – Technology Support, Performing & Touring

Kenneth Robinson        North Carolina Public Schools

Iajhi Hampden            Performing Professionally, Los Angeles (Gracie MNay)

Jeremy Clemons            Performing Professionally, New York

Alvin Atkinson            Performing Professionally, Teaching, Jazz At Lincoln Center, New York

Guy Percy                North Carolina Public Schools

Theous Jones            Private Teaching, Performing Professionally

Nicholas Slaton            Performing Professionally

Brevan Hampden            Private Teaching, Performing Professionally,

Cameron Morgan          Minister of Music, Private Teaching, Durham

Terrance White            Minister of Music, Atlanta & Studio Engineering

Brad Maston                North Carolina Public Schools

Brevan Hampden            Private Teaching Studio, Performing Professionally

John Orlando            Teaching in Private School

Orlandus Perry            Private Teaching Studio, Performing Professionally

Chris Bennett            Wilson Community College

Marcus Anderson            Performing Professionally, Performed with “Prince”

Lynn Grissett            Performed with “Prince”

Robert Jackson            Wake Tech Community College

Jim Crew                East Carolina University

Maurice Myers             North Carolina Central University

Nelson Johns            Durham Arts Council

Albert “Chip” Crawford    Performing with Gregory Porter (Jazz Vocalist)

Jamal Nichols            Performing with Gregory Porter (Jazz Vocalist)

Courtney Bailey            Durham Charter Schools

Lynette Boschulte        Durham Charter Schools

Devin Rauson            North Carolina Public Schools

Dan Davis                UNC-Chapel Hill, East Carolina University

Coty Cockrell           resident pianist for Dance Theatre of Harlem, Performing professionally

Marvin E. Thorne, Jr.    Performing & Recording Professionally,

Jabril Graves            Performing Professionally, Los Angeles, CA

Autumn Rainey            Performing Professionally, Film/Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Samantha Williams        Raleigh, North Carolina Public Schools