The Frederick Community College Music Department will celebrate jazz with a variety of concerts and special guests throughout the month of April.

A Tribute to Duke Ellington
Thursday, April 7, 12:00 p.m.
JBK Theater, Free Admission

The Howard Burns Quartet will explore the legacy of D.C. jazz legend Duke Ellington.

“Ellington’s big band was the greatest of all time,” Howard Burns said. “Folks that play in a big band consider playing his music graduate school. The level of training you get just by playing his music is invaluable.”

The quartet, which has been together for 25 years, will play numerous Ellington songs while discussing information about his life and his music.

An Evening with the Commodores
Saturday, April 9, 7:30 p.m.
JBK Theater, Free Admission

The Commodores, the Navy’s premier jazz ensemble, have been performing the best of big band jazz for the Navy and the nation for more than 45 years. The band’s concert repertoire spans the entire history of jazz and big band music, from the early 1900s to brand new compositions written by members of the ensemble. Collectively, the Navy Band performs more than 270 public concerts and 1,300 ceremonies each year.

Jazz Lunchtime Recital Series
Tuesday, April 19, 12:30 p.m.
Studio Theater (F142), Free Admission

This month’s lunchtime recital series will take an up-close look at careers in jazz.  Audience members will hear from long-time faculty member Howard Burns of the Howards Burns Quartet; Anita Thomas, the innovative director of Jazz Workshop; and Michael Raitzyk, a faculty jazz guitarist.

Black and Tan Fantasy, Directed by Howard Burns
Friday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.
JBK Theater, $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, free to FCC students and staff with ID.

The FCC Jazz Ensemble will be joined by well-known New York Jazz Trumpeter Terell Stafford. Stafford is the Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University, Managing and Artistic Director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia (JOP), and founder of the Terell Stafford Quintet.  Stafford can be heard on more than 130 albums and won a Grammy during his time with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.