Loyola’s coordinator of Jazz Studies John Mahoney and jazz studies and mathematics senior Wayne Mitchell are teaming up with the famous Fellowship Band to make this year’s Loyola Jazz Fest one of the best yet.

The 40th annual Loyola Jazz Ensemble Festival will be held on March 8 and 9 in Roussel Hall. The two-day festival, presented by Loyola’s jazz studies program, features a highly anticipated collaboration with Mitchell, Mahoney and internationally acclaimed musicians and alumni Brian Blade and John Cowherd. The festivities also include performances by the Loyola Faculty Jazz Ensemble, local high school jazz bands and masterclasses taught by famous musicians including jazz trombonist Ed Neumeister.

Blade, a percussionist, and Cowherd, a pianist, met in 1988 when they were students at Loyola. Blade expressed his excitement to be back on campus and perform with students.

“Mahoney invited us to be the quest artist for this year’s Jazz Fest. It’s kind of like a homecoming for us,” Blade said.

Both musicians agree that Loyola and the city of New Orleans helped them become better musicians. When Cowherd first came to Loyola he played French horn, but quickly fell in love with jazz.

One lucky student, Mitchell, was

chosen to help arrange the music. Mitchell plays saxophone, flute and clarinet.

“I chose Wayne because he has written for the concert band and orchestra. I knew he had the ability, he just needed the opportunity,” Mahoney said.

Mitchell feels truly honored to be working with such great artists. “This is really incredibly exciting. We are lucky to have such strong connections with performers of such high caliber. Brian Blade was here my freshman year in 2009 to play with the band. I was not in the top band at that point, so it is very exciting for me to have the opportunity to play with him this time around,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell was given the task of orchestrating one of the Fellowship Band’s musical pieces for Jazz Fest. The piece, “Return of the Prodigal Son,” is composed by Cowherd and arranged by Mitchell.

“I am quite happy with the results, and I am greatly looking forward to performing this piece with the Fellowship,” Mitchell said.

The jazz studies program is also presenting a performance by famed composer and jazz trombonist Ed Neumeister. Neumeister will be performing a piece, “A Magical Place,” commissioned for the festival by Mahoney. Tickets for Neumeister’s performance are $10 for general admission and $5 for students.

Students are encouraged to attend Jazz Fest to listen to the wonderful pieces that will be performed.

“The music is quite accessible to a wide audience, and of course the quality of the music could hardly be any higher. It will be quite a show,” Mitchell said.

Raquel Derganz Baker can be reached at [email protected]