Get ready for a weekend full of brass and wind as the Midwest Trust Center will be hosting the Winterlude Jazz Festival, inside the Yardley Hall and Polsky Theatre. Starting Saturday, Feb. 15, this two day celebration of jazz will bring together a number of performers, including the nationally renowned “New Orleans Songbook” here to JCCC campus. 

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The JCCC Jazz Ensemble and the Olathe Northwest High School Raven Jazz band will be joined by current leaders in the Kansas City jazz scene like Doug Talley Quartet, Ensemble Ibérica, and the Deborah Brown Quartet, performing eight separate performances during the span of the festival. Two lectures will also be offered by Libby Hanssen and James D. McGee Sr.

The final performance of the event will be the “New Orleans Songbook” which has been traveling nationally performing songs from performers such as Louis Armstrong and Ellis Marsalis. This musical tour of the Crescent City is being presented by the Lincoln Center, who promise a celebration of the genre while giving guests the chance to see rising stars in the jazz scene. 

“I’m thrilled to share the music that has shaped my life with audiences across the country,” Quiana Lynell, a performer for the ‘New Orleans Songbook’ said. “Singing classics by legends like Louis Armstrong, The Meters, Allen Toussaint, and Irma Thomas is an honor, especially with lyrics that carry the spirit of New Orleans, like ‘Hey Pocky Way’, ‘Tootie Ma’ and ‘La Vie en Rose’.”

This tour, with the perfect blend of vocalists, horns, and rhythm, will bring the soul and joy of Carnival to every stage. Get ready for an, “unforgettable expression of timeless music ending with a second-line!”

Tickets and a schedule for the event can be found at jccc.edu/midwest-trust-center, with one day pricing starting at $35. Though part of the event, the “New Orleans Songbook” will require separate tickets to see. Each day’s selection of shows start at 1pm and go through 7 p.m.