When you work as a journalist for a media outlet, you find yourself covering a lot of events during your career; some can be a real pain, while some are a pure joy.

The event I covered last Saturday night was pure joy.

I covered the 38th annual Alcorn State University Jazz Festival; one of the best-kept secrets in this area. I say secret, because while the festival has developed a reputation for offering performances by high school and college jazz ensembles, and well-known jazz performers, in other areas, for some reason it doesn’t get the local attention it deserves, although I did see a few familiar faces among the crowd Saturday night.

Now I don’t, in any way shape or form, claim to be a jazz aficionado, but I like the music, although I’m more a fan of big band music — the result of my father’s influence, and from playing baritone saxophone in stage band in high school. But the enjoyment of listening to jazz has always been there. I have two music apps on my cell phone, and both have jazz stations. Sometimes when I’m at home I punch up the big band and jazz music channels offered through our satellite TV service and just sit and listen. I also like listening to Dixieland jazz and Latin music.

On days when I work late, I tune into KEDM, the Louisiana Public Broadcasting station from the University of Louisiana Monroe, and listen to its evening jazz program as I drive home. When I’m in Baton Rouge, I listen to WBRH, the magnet high school radio station, which does jazz programming.

I’ve been to the New Orleans Jazz Festival, but I enjoyed Alcorn’s festival more. It was a more intimate setting where you’re allowed to enjoy the music. The music Saturday was clean and pure, and the time I spent listening in on the students’ jam sessions, the performance of the Mississippi Jazz Educators ensemble and a portion of Chick Corea’s concert gave me a much greater appreciation for the genre.

Dr. David Miller, a professor of music at Alcorn and the director of the Jazz Festival, is trying to increase that appreciation for jazz, especially among young people. He told me people in Europe have a greater appreciation for jazz than here in the U.S., adding radio stations in the state, with the exception of the campus radio station at Jackson State University, don’t have jazz programming.
That’s a shame. It’s almost a sin, because we’re in many cases ignoring a wonderful art form.

Jazz is a uniquely American style of music like rock, the blues, country and gospel. It is a part of our heritage and something we should be proud of, and the Alcorn Jazz Festival is a program where you can go enjoy great music and have the opportunity to see and hear a great artist perform at no charge.
Next year, working or not, I’m going back. Hope to see you there.

John Surratt is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. You may reach him at john.surratt@vicksburgpost.com