News        from ABAC

Michael D. Chason Director of Public Relations ABAC 30 -- 2802 Moore Highway Tifton, GA 31793-2601 Phone 229-391-5055 Fax 229-391-4781 mchason@abac.edu

IMMEDIATE June 22, 2007

ABAC JAZZ BAND OFFERS FREE CONCERT PRIOR TO EUROPE TRIP

TIFTON – As a prelude to its upcoming European Tour, the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College Jazz Ensemble will present an evening of music at 7 p.m. on June 28 in Howard Auditorium. It is open to anyone who would like to attend at no charge.

The jazz ensemble will leave on July 5 from Jacksonville on its European tour. The band was selected through an audition process to perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands and the Montreux, Switzerland Jazz Festival. ABAC Band Director Don Coates said these are two of the most prestigious jazz festivals in the world.

“The students have really worked hard, and this will be a highlight performance that they will never forget,” Coates said. “We were notified in June that NPS, the Dutch Public Broadcasting Company, will be recording our performance live on British public television during the North Sea Jazz festival.”

Prior to the two jazz festival performances, the group will perform in London in the Victoria Embankment Gardens during the opening of the Tour de France and at the Music Kiosque of the Champs de Mars Park in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The students will return from their tour on July 18.

Saxophone performers in the ABAC Jazz ensemble include Jeremy Dye of Tifton; Matthew Peters of Marietta; Lucy Taylor and Justin Brantley of Douglas; and Evan Zebley of Moultrie. Trumpet players include Barry Coffee and Michael Johnson of Cordele; Jake Thompson of Tifton; and Megan Nesimier of Ellijay.

Trombone performers are Chandler Hill of Adel; Andrew Hill of Valdosta; Adrian Tovar of Tifton; and Jonathon Lacey of Albany. The rhythm section includes Gail Wyles on piano and Trent Lumpkin on bass guitar, both from Sylvester; guitar player Joshua Taylor of Sale City; Bob Hubbard from Valdosta on string bass; and drummer Jonathan Thomas of Toccoa.

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