Free events at Charlotte Jazz Festival

The Leon Levine Foundation presents Charlotte Jazz Festival, from April 18th, 2016, to April 23rd. It features Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. See the whole schedule and buy tickets here. The festival also includes several free events. Read about all the free events in detail. Here’s a quick list:

Free events at Charlotte Jazz Festival 2016

Lunch Hour Jazz
Monday, April 18th, through Friday, April 22nd, 11:30 a.m.
Jazz Pavilion Stage at Levine Center for the Arts
Spend your lunch break at the Jazz Pavilion on the Levine Center for the Arts plaza! It’s free. The Pavilion stage will feature some of Charlotte’s best jazz artists plus some special guests.
Monday, April 18 · 11:30AM – 1:00PM · Big Octave (Straight Ahead)
Tuesday, April 19 · 11:30AM – 1:00PM · Trevor Cook Ensemble (Latin Jazz)
Wednesday, April 20 · 11:30AM – 1:00PM · Lovell Bradford Quartet (Modern Jazz)
Thursday, April 21 · 11:30AM – 1:00PM · Gary Marcus Ensemble (Standards)
Friday, April 22 · 11:30AM – 1:00PM · Flute Praise (Latin Jazz)

Friday Happy Hour
Friday, April 22nd, 4 p.m.
Jazz Pavilion Stage at Levine Center for the Arts
TGIF! Join us for happy hour at the Jazz Pavilion on the Levine Center for the Arts plaza! The Pavilion stage will feature some of Charlotte’s best jazz artists plus some special guests.
Friday Happy Hour Schedule of Performances
4:00 – 5:15 PM · Calvin Edwards Trio (Blues)
5:30 – 6:30 PM · Machine Gun Preacher (Progressive/Modern)
6:30 – 7:15 PM · FAT FACE (Traditional)

Late Night Jams
Friday, April 22nd, and Saturday, April 23rd, 11 p.m.
SoCo Bar at Westin Hotel, 601 South College Street
For night owls, enjoy these late night performances in the Westin hotel’s innovative, vibrant, and sophisticated SoCo Bar with guest appearances by members of Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Free Fun on the Plaza
Saturday, April 23rd, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Jazz Pavilion Stage at Levine Center for the Arts
The Pavilion stage will feature some of Charlotte’s best jazz artists plus some special guests. Join in a New Orleans Style Second Line Parade leaving from the Plaza 4:30 p.m.
Schedule of Free Stage Performances
12:00 – 1:15 PM · JAI All-Stars (Straight Ahead)
1:30 – 2:45 PM · UNC Charlotte Jazz Faculty (Modern)
3:00 – 4:15 PM · Larry Draughn Ensemble (Straight Ahead)
4:30 – 6:00 PM · Mark Rapp Quintet (Standards/Modern)
6:15 – 7:15 PM · Tenya Coleman Duo (Vocal/Standards)

Loonis McGlohon Young Jazz Artists Competition
Saturday, April 23rd, 2 p.m.
Stage Door Theater, 155 North College Street
This competition is open to any 8th through 12th grade student who resides in the Charlotte region. Students will submit an audition recording consisting of three jazz selections, and seven finalists will be chosen from the applicants. These finalists will compete on April 23 at Stage Door Theater, accompanied by a band of professional jazz musicians, and their performances will be judged by musicians from the renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra! The top three artists will win scholarships provided by The Leon Levine Foundation.