This week in CMU history: CMU's annual jazz festival features Dizzy Gillespie
On Feb. 6, 1981, Central Michigan Life reported on the musicians set to perform in Central Michigan University’s eighth annual Jazz Festival. It was announced that Dizzy Gillespie, famous for playing his trumpet with other notable musicians such as Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway, would perform on stage at Warriner Auditorium the day of the festival.
The festival, sponsored by Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the professional music fraternity, was started in 1974. Past notable musicians to perform during it included Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, Chuck Mangione and Thad Jones.
The festival was set to open Feb. 19 with performances by the CMU Trombone Ensemble and the Studio 12 Jazz Orchestra. The day after that, high school jazz ensembles were to compete with other groups in their class rating.
All concerts during the festival were free of charge and open to the public.
