When:
Sunday, April 30, 2023
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Featured Performances, Special Guests, Awards, Complimentary Light Bites
Cash Bar
Triumph Brewing Co.
ABOUT OUR PERFORMERS & SPECIAL GUESTS
Don Braden
Don Braden is a highly acclaimed jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator who has established himself as one of the most important voices in modern jazz. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Braden began playing the saxophone at a young age and went on to study at Harvard University and the Berklee College of Music. His musical career took off in the 1980s when he began working with jazz legends such as Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, and Freddie Hubbard.
In addition to his impressive performance career, Don Braden is also a highly respected educator. He has served as Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University and is currently the Director of the Litchfield Jazz Camp. Braden has also conducted clinics and workshops at universities and music schools around the world, sharing his knowledge and passion for jazz with students of all ages.
Braden has released over twenty albums as a bandleader, showcasing his versatility as a musician and his skill as a composer. His music is rooted in the jazz tradition but also incorporates elements of funk, R&B, and gospel and the blues. Braden's commitment to pushing the boundaries of jazz and his dedication to educating the next generation of jazz musicians have made him a highly respected figure in the jazz community.
Doug Doyle
Doug Doyle has been News and Sports Director at WBGO since 1998. Doug and his staff have received more than 250 awards from organizations like PMJA, New York Association of Black Journalists and the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists.
The Pennsylvania State University graduate is one of the most decorated news reporters in New Jersey radio history. WBGO's popular sports podcast SportsJam with Doug Doyle has won numerous national and state awards for best interview and sports coverage. You can hear all the shows at wbgo.org/sportsjam or NPR's list of podcasts.
For 25 years, Doug has been WBGO’s morning news anchor or part of the morning team with Gary Walker.
The Delmont, Pennsylvania native has spent more than three decades teaching at various colleges and universities in New Jersey. He currently teaches radio and sports broadcasting classes at Bloomfield College and Brookdale Community College.
Doyle is a lifetime member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a professional music fraternity.
Ben Fig
Ben Fig is a talented musician who is currently studying at Berklee College of Music. Originally from New Jersey, Ben began playing the drums as a child, eventually coming to develop an interest in improvised music. He enrolled in the Jazz Arts Academy which helped guide him to more and more advanced musical studies. During his many years of study in the Jazz Arts Academy Program, Ben became an important part of the organization. He was always happy to assist in whatever way he could and volunteered to perform at various community events. He now serves on the Jazz Arts Project Board of Directors as the youngest person ever to serve on the board.
Under the tutelage of mentors in his teenage years such as Bernard Purdie, Brandon McCune, and Alvester Garnett, Ben soon became a focused musician hungry to absorb himself in the music. After arriving at Berklee to study Performance, he has become a versatile artist, composer, and improviser. He has worked to develop his sound with the guidance of legendary musicians including Danilo Perez, Joe Lovano, John Patitucci, and Francisco Mela, among many others. As he continues to perform at venues around the Boston area, he focuses on honing his fluid, dynamic, and free-flowing approach to improvisation.
After graduation, Ben plans to pursue a career in the music industry, where he hopes to use his talents to create and produce innovative and inspiring music. With his passion, talent, and dedication, there is no doubt that Ben will be successful in achieving his dreams.
The Academy All-Stars
Jazz Arts Academy All-Stars are a select group of the best and most advanced students in our program. The young men and women perform at community events and are showcased at other organizations' meetings and galas, providing them with valuable professional and community service experiences.
International Jazz Day
April is National Jazz Appreciation Month initiated by the Smithsonian Institute and established by an act of Congress. It is an annual celebration that pays tribute to jazz as an historic and living American art form.
International Jazz Day is the culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month, which draws public attention to jazz and its extraordinary heritage throughout April. In December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly formally welcomed the decision by the UNESCO General Conference to proclaim April 30 as International Jazz Day. The United Nations and UNESCO now both recognize International Jazz Day on their official calendars.