On Saturday, April 20, the final concert of the annual Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival was held in the ICCU Arena. Throughout the four-hour show, guests and festival performers from across the country were treated to an astounding showcase of musical talent.
Kickstarting the show was Kenny Garrett and Sounds from the Ancestors. Garrett, a legend in the jazz and saxophone community, drove the show with his virtuosic alto saxophone playing. His bandmates also played at an incredible level, and the audience was loving it. By the end of his set, the crowd had descended to the floor to dance, and filled the lower level of the venue with energy.
After the audience returned to their seats, a stream of student musicians who had performed in the Jazz Festival earlier in the day got to take center stage in front of the thousands of guests. Multiple schools’ bands and soloists got the chance to perform their music.
The last act of the show was the continuing talent of the Lionel Hampton Big Band. Though the man himself, Lionel Hampton, passed away in 2002, his band is still swinging. They played a roster of Hampton’s favorite songs, and to bookend the set, performed “Happy Birthday” for Hampton’s 116th two times. UI’s own Vern Sielert came on stage to play a solo. They then finished off the show with a performance of “What a Wonderful World,” as Lionel Hampton used to do at Jazz Fest.
John Keegan can be reached at [email protected]