This year’s Utah Arts Festival brings three world premieres in its jazz commission program, representing the 2020 and 2021 winners: Steve Erickson and Tyler Chen, respectively. Their pieces will premiere Aug, 27 at 6:30 p.m. on the Festival Stage with the Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra. Tyler Chen: Acclimation and Blues for Courtney In middle … Read more
Compared to many other jazz musicians, Melanie Shore had a late start. She started out as a classically trained pianist in her childhood but by the end of high school, she realized, as she describes in an interview with The Utah Review, “I didn’t have a passion for it.” As she “scoped jazz out” in … Read more
Jazz’s prominence at the Utah Arts Festival has been rising in recent years. Last year’s show featuring the Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra was a scorcher, with trumpeter Kris Johnson’s tremendously well received festival commission piece A Shift West and a special appearance with Clarice Assad performing new arrangements of iconic Brazilian songs. This year’s … Read more
Japanese taiko drums, a collection of frying pans, mixing bowls and blenders, and a small Scottish island called Jura might appear to be a curious, even odd list. However these have become inspirational elements for this year’s world premiere commissions in chamber music, jazz, and dance at the Utah Arts Festival. The trio of artists … Read more