The North Carolina Central University (NCCU) Jazz Studies Program took center stage at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, June 1, under the direction of Lenora Helm Hammonds, DMA, professor and chair of the music department.
The concert, produced by MidAmerica Productions, featured a stellar debut by the NCCU Vocal Jazz Ensemble, showcasing the talents of alumni as well as current students from the university. Also performing was the NCCU Choir.
The lineup of performers also included NCCU faculty members: Timothy Holley, A.Mus.D., on cello, Jim Crew on piano, Thomas Taylor on drums, Robert Trowers on trombone and Al Strong on trumpet. Josh Mickens, an alumnus, and Kayla King, a current student, performed on bass.
A standout moment of the concert was the spotlight on Manuel Martinez, an alumnus of NCCU's Master of Music in Jazz Studies program who concentrated in composition and arranging. Martinez is now director of the Alcovy High School choir in Covington, Georgia.
