JC Jazz Band to play New Orleans Jazz Fest for first time

ELLISVILLE, Miss. (WDAM) - Jazz musicians at Jones College will soon be performing in the city where jazz began.

On April 29, the Jones College Jazz Band will participate in the 53rd annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

“It’s wild to think that a junior college is going to play at something so large, I mean, New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz,” said Reagan Thornton, of Laurel, a sophomore trumpet player in the band.

The band will play six tunes at 2 p.m. at the Heritage Museum Courtyard.

“I’m really excited about that, taking a group to a prestigious event like this,” said Ben Burge, director of bands at Jones College. “There’s a lot of pressure and a lot of nerves and we want to make sure that we represent our college the best that we can.”

The performance will be free and open to the public.

It marks the first time a band from Jones College will perform at the world-renowned event.

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to perform, I’m blessed to have that opportunity, because a lot of people don’t and that’s very important to me that I count my blessings and make sure that I know that this is a big deal,” said Kambri Pippin, a band member from Laurel who is majoring in music education.

The band has 25 members.

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