Four top jazz artists assemble for ‘Jazz Camp’ concert

The Fresno State Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Richard Giddens, Jr., will perform along with the ensemble “Jazz Camp,” featuring four widely recognized jazz musicians, Keyon Harrold, Brandon Eugene Owens, Gerald Clayton and Damion Reid.

The concert is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, in the Fresno State Concert Hall. Tickets are $20 for General Admission, $10 for Fresno State Employees/Seniors, $5 non-Fresno State Students, and FREE for Fresno State Students.

Gerald Clayton, piano. Nominated for six GRAMMYs, Clayton’s newest album, “Bells on Sand,” will be released in April 2023. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Diana Krall, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Reeves, Ambrose Akinmusire, Dayna Stephens, Kendrick Scott, John Scofield Ben Williams, Terell Stafford & Dick Oatts, Michael Rodriguez, Terri Lyne Carrington, Avishai Cohen, Peter Bernstein and the Clayton Brothers Quintet. 

Damion Reid, drums. This year, Reid has performed throughout major cities in the United States and Europe. The GRAMMY-nominated artist has performed alongside Greg Osby, Terence Blanchard, Rober Glasper, Bunky Green, Steve Coleman, Steve Lehman, Jacky Terrasson, Ravi Coltrane, Lauryn Hill and many others.

Keyon Harrold, trumpet. Born and raised in Ferguson, MO, Harrold has performed with hip-hop artists Common, Snoop Dogg, Jay Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Eminem, Maxwell, and Anthony Hamilton. He has released two albums, “Introducing Keyon Harrold” and “The Mugician” and collaborated on dozens of other albums, including the trumpet tracks on the motion picture soundtrack “Miles Ahead,” the Miles Davis biographical drama.

Brandon Eugene Owens, bass. Owens is a bassist, singer-songwriter, and producer from Los Angeles and has shared the stage with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Bo Diddley, Billy Higgins, and Boys II Men. He is best known for his work on Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy Award-winning album “To Pimp a Butterfly,” which went platinum.

After a nearly 20-year hiatus, the Fresno State Jazz Festival was revived in 2018 by Assistant Professor of Music Richard Giddens, Jr. The festival has continued annually since then, including virtually through the pandemic. The Fresno State Jazz Festival is a two-day event that brings together top musicians with middle school, high school and college students from around the Valley. At the festival, outstanding students receive scholarships to the Standford Jazz Workshop, Lafayette Summer Music Workshop, Sequoia Lake Music Camp, La Sierra Creative Arts Camp, University of Montana summer music workshops and Fresno State. The festival is sponsored by CSU Summer Arts and 90.7 KFSR.