Wayne State Jazz Big Band performs at Panama Jazz Festival, Jan. 16

The Wayne State University Department of Music, in collaboration with the Detroit Jazz Festival and Panama Jazz Festival, is sending ten jazz studies students to perform alongside stars Danny Rivera, Danilo Perez and John Patitucci in the Pan-American Detroit Big Band at the Panama Jazz Festival. Clinics and rehearsals run throughout the week of January 11, with the international ensemble performing during the festival's closing concert Saturday the 16th. Panama is in the Eastern Time Zone and the ensemble's portion is planned to run from 6:00 to 7:15 and to be streamed live here.

"The Detroit Pan-American Big Band embodies everything that makes jazz so special," said Professor Christopher Collins, director of jazz studies at Wayne State and leader of the Pan-American Detroit Big Band. "It draws from both the Detroit and Panama musical traditions." Detroit area university students, Panamanian musicians, Detroit pros and jazz luminaries Rivera, Perez and Patitucci are joining forces to perform new works and present educational workshops at the festival. "Through camaraderie, artistry and international collaboration, this project demonstrates the powerful music and meaningful relationships that can be generated when we open our hearts and minds to other cultures and ideas," Collins said.

Jazziz magazine covered the festival: The festival's ongoing theme of the importance of music education was underscored by the talent of Wayne State University graduate student pianist Daniel Meinecke, who wrote the big band arrangement for a soulful new composition "Black is Beautiful," co-authored by Panama's Danilo Perez and Puerto Rico's Danny Rivera. The piece was performed during the annual festival's gala concert at Panama's principal performing arts venue, the Anayansi Theater, by the Pan-American Detroit Big Band conducted by Chris Collins. Read more here.