EAST LANSING, Mich. – Community members can support East Lansing’s Summer Solstice Jazz Festival (SSJF) by attending the 4th Annual Wake Up to Jazz brunch fundraiser on Sunday, March 18 at noon at the Marriott Hotel at University Place, 300 M.A.C. Ave. in downtown East Lansing.

Proceeds of this special fundraiser brunch will go to the 2012 SSJF, which will bring two outdoor evenings of FREE non-stop jazz to downtown East Lansing, on June 22-23. The talent-packed lineup includes trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, vocalist Niki Haris and a high-caliber ensemble of other local, regional and national jazz performers.

Live Musical Performance
The brunch will be topped off with a live musical performance by MSU Jazz Orchestra I led by Rodney Whitaker and featuring special guest Mardra Thomas. The 19-piece MSU Jazz Orchestra I, also known as The Be-Bop Spartans, is a young, swinging college band playing the repertoire of the great jazz masters as well as a wide range of soul, swing, blues and gospel. Mardra Thomas, a 2011 SSJF favorite, will be a guest vocalist and is known for her interpretation of Billie Holiday.

Tickets
Tickets for the brunch are $65 for an individual, $115 for couples and $425 for a table of eight. Tickets for Friends of East Lansing Jazz are $40 for an individual, $80 for couples and $320 for a table of eight. Reservations are required by March 10, however, early bird reservations, made by Feb. 29, will receive one free ticket to the MSU Jazz Spectacular in April. Reservations can be made by downloading the reservation form @ www.eljazzfest.com or calling (517) 319-6927.

The Summer Solstice Jazz Festival, co-produced by the City of East Lansing, Wharton Center for Performing Arts and the MSU College of Music, will present free-to-the-community jazz performances June 22-23, 2012 in downtown East Lansing. Visit www.eljazzfest.com.

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