Friday, April 23 - 7:30pm

The Townsend Center presents famous Cuban drummer Ignacio Berroa, featured artist at the 25th Annual Sunbelt Jazz Festival. Ignacio Berroa is a dynamic and versatile drummer in both jazz and Latin music, recognized by many as one of the greatest performing today. Born in Havana in 1953, Ignacio Berroa quickly became Cuba’s most sought-after drummer. Berroa joined Dizzy Gillespie’s quartet in 1981, and became an integral part of all the important bands Gillespie assembled during that decade, such as The Dizzy Gillespie’s 70th Anniversary Big Band, Dizzy Gillespie All Star Big Band, and the Grammy Award winning United Nations Orchestra. Gillespie described Ignacio as "the only Latin drummer in the word, in the history of American music that intimately knows both worlds: his native Afro-Cuban music as well as Jazz." Some of the superstar jazz musicians with whom Ignacio has recorded include McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Freddie Hubbard, Wynton Marsalis, Jackie McLean, Clark Terry, James Moody, Slide Hampton, Milt Jackson, and Ron Carter.

The Sunbelt Jazz Festival, under the direction of Dr. Daniel Bakos, has brought such accomplished jazz greats as Bobby Shrew, Chris Vadala, Jerry Coker, Steve Wiest, Rob McConnell, Gary Foster, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm, Giacomo Gates, Ken Trimmins, and West Georgia's own Mariano Pacetti to the University of West Georgia to work with the University Jazz Ensemble and local High School Jazz bands. The guest artist listens to each ensemble, provides written and verbal critiques, and rehearses and/or plays with the groups to hone their performances. The Festival culminates in a Friday evening performance starring the guest artist and the UWG Jazz Ensemble. It's a great learning experience for young musicians and a great performance for Friday night's audience.

  Watch YouTube™ videos of Ignacio Berroa here

  Listen to samples of Ignacio Berroa's latest album here