Renowned Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon Will Play with University of Puget Sound Jazz Band Feb. 28

Musical ambassador, master trombone player, and vocalist Wycliffe Gordon will appear at University of Puget Sound on Tuesday, Feb. 28, for a public concert with the university’s Jazz Band.

The former collaborator with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and pianist Billy Taylor will be a guest artist of the Jazz Band, under the direction of Wayne Horvitz, in celebration of Black History Month. The performance will start at 7:30 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall.

Gordon has toured the world with his hard-swinging, straight-ahead jazz, receiving acclaim from audiences and critics alike. His mastery of the plunger mute and his exceptional technique and signature sound have won Gordon a reputation as one of the top trombonists of his generation.

The Jazz Journalists Association in 2011 named him Trombonist of the Year—a title he has earned five times in a decade. He also is a past recipient of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Vanguard Award, which recognizes artists who help shape the future of American music.

In addition to his solo career, Gordon leads the Wycliffe Gordon Quartet and regularly headlines at legendary jazz venues and performing arts centers throughout the world. Gordon is a former veteran member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and has been a guest artist on Billy Taylor’s Jazz at the Kennedy Center series.

Gordon’s recordings include 14 solo CDs and seven joint CDs. His original compositions and arrangements span a range of jazz music and have been performed around the world.

The Georgia native also is a committed music educator. He currently serves on the faculty of the Jazz Arts Program at Manhattan School of Music. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2006 from The University of Scranton and has worked with young musicians and audiences by offering master classes, clinics, workshops, children’s concerts, and lectures.

The event is sponsored by Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound (ASUPS) Cultural Events in celebration of Black History Month. Admission is $7 for the general public with discounted tickets for Puget Sound campus members. For tickets visit Wheelock Information Center, order by credit card at 253-879-3419, or order online at tickets.pugetsound.edu. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door.

For directions and a map of the campus, click here.