Central Mall to host jazz festival this weekend
The Four States Jazz Festival will be held at Central Mall on Saturday from 11:15 a.m. until 7 p.m.
“This is the first time we have used the mall as our venue,” says Arkansas High Band Director and event coordinator, Richard Eckstein. “The North Entrance hallway where we will be playing has great acoustics and plenty of area for audiences to enjoy the music as they come and go.” Traditionally the event is held in an auditorium with the bands on stage. In the mall, the space allows for more flexibility for the audience, according to a news release. The Four States Jazz Festival originated 5 years ago and, with the exception of the pandemic year of 2020, has become an annual event.
According to Eckstein, eight bands from area schools and two regional universities will compete. “We have had bands from many other Arkansas districts,” he says, “but the pandemic has kept some of those schools from traveling the way they usually do.” So next year promises a longer lineup of bands.
Saturday’s schedule is as follows:
11:15 a.m. — Arkansas Middle School, directed by Lauren Eckstein;
Noon — Southern Arkansas University, directed by David Torres;
12:45 p.m. — University of Arkansas-Monticello, Jazz No. 2, directed by Katrina Meggs;
1:30 p.m. — Arkansas High School Jazz No. 2, directed by Ryan Hadaway;
2:15 p.m. — Texas High School, directed by Dillon Davis;
3 p.m. — Arkansas High School Jazz Combo, directed by Richard Eckstein;
3:45 p.m. — Pleasant Grove High School, directed by Ed Grissom;
4:30 p.m. — Arkansas High School, Jazz No. 1, directed by Richard Eckstein;
5:15 p.m. — Awards ceremony.
Competition bands will play 45-minute segments. They will be rated by a panel of three professional judges. One of the judges is the guest artist of the day, Trevor Davis, assistant professor of single reeds and director of jazz activities at Louisiana Tech University. He is a Silverstein Artist and frequent adjudicator and clinician.
To top off the day’s activities, the Texarkana Jazz Orchestra will take the stage, featuring guest artist Trevor Davis on saxophone. Folks are encouraged to dance and enjoy the great music at no charge.