East Carolina University School of Music (SoM) continues to celebrate jazz with the 18th annual Dr. Billy Taylor Jazz Festival which began on April 18 with graduate and senior recitals and will conclude with a discussion on jazz on April 24 at 5:30 to 7 p.m and a Gala Concert at 8 p.m.
The jazz discussion will stream on Zoom and can be accessed via the SoMâs website. The Gala Concert will include performances by stream for free online at livemusic.ecu.edu.
ECU Director of Jazz Ensembles Carroll Dashiell said Taylor was his mentor and, when the SoM began the jazz festival, he said they wanted to name it in someoneâs honor. Dashiell said Taylor graciously accepted the honor when he was asked if they could name the festival after him. Taylor died December 28, 2010, according to his biography on The Kennedy Center website.