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Jazz Festival to feature trombonist Iles
April 9, 2004
CARROLLTON, GA - A concert featuring trombonist Alex Iles will be the highlight of the nineteenth annual Sunbelt Jazz Festival at the University of West Georgia on Friday, April 23.
Iles, who has performed and recorded with such artists as Joe Cocker, Henry Mancini, The Tonight Show Orchestra, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick Jr., Johnny Mathis, Robbie Williams and John Williams, will perform at 8 p.m. in the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts.
The day-long Sunbelt Jazz Festival, directed by UWG professor of music and jazz studies Dr. Daniel Bakos, is an opportunity for area high school jazz bands to work with a seasoned professional artist. Iles, this year’s guest artist, is a freelance musician and educator from Southern California. His varied and successful career includes many musical roles, including jazz performer, soloist, chamber and orchestral musician and session player.
During the festival, the guest artist listens to each high school ensemble, provides a written critique and then directs rehearsals with each group, often performing with it. These rehearsals provide the students with a rare opportunity to work with someone of national or even international stature. The event culminates in an evening concert of the UWG Jazz Ensemble with the guest artist as a soloist.
Iles has toured as lead and solo jazz trombonist with the Woody Herman Herd and Maynard Ferguson big bands, with whom he recorded twice. He performs and records as a regular member of many top big bands and jazz groups in the Los Angeles area.
Iles is an instructor of trombone and jazz at the California Institute of the Arts and California State University, as well as the principal trombonist in the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Pacific Symphony, Pasadena Symphony and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2001, he was chosen to participate in a 10-day orchestral/solo seminar hosted by the New York Philharmonic principal trombone virtuoso, Joe Alessi.
His pit orchestra experience includes many Los Angeles productions of Broadway shows, including “The Lion King,” “Chicago,” “West Side Story” and “The Producers,” and shows such as “The Emmy Awards,” “The Golden Globe Awards” and “The People’s Choice Awards.” Iles has also performed on numerous movie soundtracks and television series, including “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Blackhawk Down,” “The Last Samurai,” “The Planet of the Apes,” “Daredevil,” “Spiderman,” “Alias,” “JAG” and the syndicated TV shows “Seinfeld” and “Northern Exposure.”
Iles appears frequently as a guest soloist and clinician with schools and organizations throughout the United States. He is a Conn/Selmer performing artist and plays King and Conn trombones.
Schools participating in the jazz festival this year are Harrison High School (with two jazz ensembles), Osborne High School, Pebblebrook High School and Central High School of Carrollton.
Tickets for the Sunbelt Jazz Festival Concert are $7 for general admission, $5 for senior citizens, and $3 with a UWG student ID. For reservations or more information, contact the Townsend Center at 770-836-6694.
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