They say good traditions never die. That is certainly the case with Denison's 11th Annual Jazz Guitar Festival on Saturday (Oct. 6) and Sunday (Oct. 7). Renowned musicians -- including Jack Wilkins, Peter Bernstein, Jeff Sherman, Tim Cummiskey, Chris Buzzelli, Stan Smith and Tom Carroll -- will be on campus during the weekend, which will include two concerts and an afternoon of clinics.

The clinics will be from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 6) in Burke Rehearsal Room. The first concert is at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 6), and the festival wraps up with a 4 p.m. concert on Sunday (Oct. 7). Both concerts are in Burke Recital Hall (240 West Broadway), and all events are free and open to the public.

The festival was founded and is hosted by Tom Carroll, Denison's instructor of guitar and coordinator of jazz studies. An affiliate artist with the Jazz Arts Group of Columbus, Carroll has performed at the Spoleto Festival in South Carolina, at the Columbus Jazz and Ribs Fest and at several International Association for Jazz Education conventions with Hank Marr.

Among the artists performing is Jack Wilkins, one of the world's premier jazz guitarists and music educators. Wilkins teaches at New York University's New School and at the Manhattan School of Music. The recipient of an National Endowment for the Arts grant, he has played and recorded with Mel Torme, Ray Charles, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, Manhattan Transfer, the Brecker Brothers and many more. His latest CDs include "Reunion" and "The Benedetto Players in Concert." In a separate event on campus, Wilkins also will be teaching a three-day course on "The American Songbook" (Oct. 3-5) at Denison as part of the Creative Writing Program's Harriet Ewens Beck Fund Visiting Writers Series.

Also performing in the Jazz Guitar Festival is Peter Bernstein, who has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in more than 60 recordings and numerous festival, concert and club performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Bernstein has made five recordings for the Criss Cross Jazz label. He has taught at the Julliard School, Berklee College of Music, North Texas State University, the New School Jazz Program and the Jazz Conservatory in Amsterdam.

Jeff Sherman has been a member of the the music faculty of Bellarmine University since 1973 and serves as director of jazz studies. His career has ranged from appearances at jazz festivals in the U.S. and abroad and as soloist with the Louisville Orchestra to concerts with artists as varied as Liza Minnelli, Lester Lanin, Roy Clark, Gene Bertoncini, Rich Little and The Lettermen. He is the author of Beginning Guitar, A New Approach and has served on the Board of Directors for the Louisville Federation of Musicians Local 11-637 and the Louisville Jazz Society.

Chris Buzzelli is a professor and director of the guitar program at Bowling Green State University. He has written for the "Jazz Educators Journal," "Just Jazz Guitar" and "American String Teacher." His arrangements and original compositions for jazz guitar ensembles are played around the world.

Tim Cummiskey is on the jazz studies faculty at the Ohio State University School of Music and the music faculty at Kenyon College. A contributing writer to "Downbeat Magazine" and "Just Jazz Guitar," he has been featured in "20th Century Guitar" magazine.

Guitarist/composer Stan Smith is an assistant professor of music in the jazz studies/music industry program at Capital University, where he has been the head of the jazz/contemporary guitar curriculum since 1978. He is also on the staff of the National Guitar Workshop.

This year's festival is being sponsored by Denison's Departments of Music and English, and by the college's Student Activities Council.

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Denison University, Granville -- Eleventh Annual Denison Jazz Guitar Festival clinics; noon to 5 p.m., Saturday (Oct. 6), Burke Rehearsal Room (240 West Broadway). (See the Department of Music Web site at www.denison.edu/academics/departments/music/ for more information.) Free and open to the public. Contact (740) 587-6616 to confirm information.

Denison University, Granville -- Eleventh Annual Denison Jazz Guitar Festival Concert the Jack Wilins Trio and Tim Cummiskey. Tom Carroll, director; 7:30 p.m., Saturday (Oct. 6), Burke Recital Hall (240 West Braodway). Free and open to the public. Contact (740) 587-6616 to confirm information.

Denison University, Granville -- Eleventh Annual Denison Jazz Guitar Festival Grand Finale Concert. Peter Bernstein Trio with Jack Wilkins and Jeff Sherman, Tim Cumminskey, Chris Buzzelli and Tom Carroll; 4 p.m., Sunday (Oct. 7), Burke Recital Hall (240 West Broadway). Free and open to the public. Contact (740) 587-6616 to confirm information.

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About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

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Barbara Stambaugh

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(740) 587-8575