2025 NMU Jazz Festival
Featuring
Matt Wilson!
Thursday & Friday,
March 20-21
General Information
The 2025 NMU Jazz Festival will be held on the beautiful campus of Northern Michigan University on Thursday and Friday, March 20-21. High school and middle school jazz bands from throughout the region will participate in a variety of performances and clinics, and an exciting evening performance will showcase NMU students, faculty, and guest clinicians.
This year's festival will feature drummer Matt Wilson, who has released thirteen albums as a leader, appeared on more than 400 others as a sideman, and has played with an impressive array of some of the most legendary names in jazz. He is a fantastic drummer, bandleader, and educator, and we are very happy that he will be joining us for this year's event. Please visit his website (www.mattwilsonjazz.com) to learn more about his recent projects.
See Festival details below!
Festival Schedule (in Reynolds Recital Hall)
Thurs., March 20
8:00am-12noon - HS and MS Band Performances/Clinics
12:00noon - LUNCH BREAK
1:00pm - Performance/Clinic (Matt Wilson + Faculty/Student Combo)
2:00-5:00pm - HS and MS Band Performances/Clinics
5:15-6:45pm - Jam Session (upstairs in Hedgcock Atrium)
7:30pm - EVENING CONCERT
Friday, March 21
8:00am-12noon - HS and MS Band Performances/Clinics
12:00noon - LUNCH BREAK
1:00pm - Performance/Clinic (Matt Wilson + Faculty/Student Combo)
2:00-5:00pm - HS and MS Band Performances/Clinics
5:15-6:45pm - Jam Session (upstairs in Hedgcock Atrium)
7:30pm - EVENING CONCERT
Jams, Clinics and Workshops
High School and Middle School Performances and Clinics
Registered high school and middle school ensembles will perform in scheduled time slots on Thursday & Friday (March 20 & 21), and then get feedback and work with festival clinicians. Performances and clinics will all take place in Reynolds Recital Hall.
Faculty Combo Performances/Clinics
Matt Wilson will be presenting educational performances/clinics with the NMU Faculty/Student Combo at 1:00pm on both Thursday and Friday in Reynolds Recital Hall. These presentations are free and open to the public.
Jam Session!
The popular jam sessions for festival participants will be held from 5:15-6:45pm on both Thursday and Friday in the Hedgcock Atrium. Traditionally, jam sessions were the place where emerging jazz artists congregated to try out new ideas and work at perfecting the craft of improvisation. This session will be offered in that spirit, and will provide students an opportunity to practice improvisation and listen to others.
Two Evening Concerts!
Thursday, March 20 @ 7:30 p.m.
Reynolds Recital Hall
Featuring Matt Wilson with the NMU Jazz Band & the NMU Jazz Combo
Tickets available at the door and in advance (starting on February 17) through the NMU Ticket Office (tickets.nmu.edu, 906-227-1037)
Friday, March 21 @ 7:30 p.m.
Reynolds Recital Hall
Featuring Matt Wilson with the NMU Jazz Band & the NMU Jazz Combo
Tickets available at the door and in advance (starting on February 17) through the NMU Ticket Office (tickets.nmu.edu, 906-227-1037)
History of the NMU Jazz Festival
The NMU Jazz Festival is an annual educational event that brings talented high school and middle school students to NMU from throughout the region to celebrate an original American art form - JAZZ!
NMU has presented numerous jazz clinics and concerts over the last fifty years, but the current NMU Jazz Festival began in 1998 when NMU Friends of Jazz (an NMU student organization) invited the legendary trumpeter Clark Terry to perform a concert with the NMU Jazz Band. Several local high school bands were invited to participate in clinics in conjunction with this event, and the positive responses from participants and audience members suggested that an annual jazz festival would be well-received.
Since then, NMU Friends of Jazz has continued to work with the NMU Music Department and the NMU College of Arts and Sciences to bring outstanding jazz artists to NMU on a yearly basis, and the high school and middle school participation in these events has grown steadily - in an average year, more than 25 ensembles (300-400 students) participate in performances and clinics.
The festival is a highlight of the year for jazz fans in the Marquette community.
Past Featured Artists
NMU Friends of Jazz are shown with guest performing artist Regina Carter at the 2015 Jazz Festival. Students not only have a chance to learn from and perform with giants of jazz, they also get to know them personally.
Here are the magnificent musicians we have had the pleasure of hosting over the years:
- 1998 - Clark Terry
- 1999 - Jeff Halsey
- 2000 - John Fedchock
- 2001 - Jim McNeely
- 2002 - Jon Faddis
- 2003 - Peter Erskine
- 2004 - Mike Stern
- 2005 - Steve Turre
- 2006 - Bob Mintzer, Kirsten Gustafson, Kelly Rossum, Dave Ziegner
- 2007 - Dean Sorenson & Randy Sabien
- 2008 - Bobby Shew
- 2009 - Fred Sturm & Bill Carrothers
- 2010 - Kevin Mahogany
- 2011 - Michael Philip Mossman
- 2012 - Ingrid Jensen
- 2013 - Jim Snidero & Kathy Kosins
- 2014 - Stefon Harris
- 2015 - Regina Carter
- 2016 - Michael Davis
- 2017 - Chase Sanborn
- 2018 - Aimee Nolte
- 2019 - Allen Vizzutti
- 2020 - Cancelled (due to COVID-19)
- 2021 - Online Event (due to COVID-19)
- 2022 - Mike Tomaro
- 2023 - Dean Sorenson
- 2024 - Ellen Rowe
Festival Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding the annual NMU Jazz Festival, please contact Mark Flaherty at 906-227-1037.
If you would like to bring your group to the festival and it is past the deadline, please don't hesitate to contact Dr. Flaherty. Occasionally we have extra slots available after the deadline.
Also let him know if you would like to be on the email list for future Jazz Festivals.