Jazz-MU-Tazz, Marshall University’s summer jazz festival, will present the faculty combo Bluetrane, guest artist Dr. Toby Curtright and the Jazz-MU-Tazz Festival Big Bands in concert at the Jomie Jazz Center on Marshall’s Huntington campus and at Pullman Square beginning June 24.

Curtright has taught numerous years at the elementary through college level. He received his bachelor’s degree and Master of Music degree from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill., and his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During his tenure at the University of Illinois’ outreach program, Curtright led a group of graduate students teaching jazz at East St. Louis High School for the new Miles Davis Institute. Prior to that, he was the professor of bass and jazz studies at Minnesota State University at Moorhead.

An active performer, adjudicator and clinician, Curtright has performed with numerous jazz greats including Ron, Cecil & Dee Dee Bridgewater, Mark Colby, Tom Garling, The Four Freshmen, Little Anthony and The Imperials, Paul McKee, Mike Lee, Bobby Shew, Arturo Sandoval and Paul Wertico.

Bluetrane, the Marshall faculty jazz combo which will perform Thursday night, was created to provide a professional model for the students at Marshall and to establish a musical ensemble devoted to the performance of jazz, which has been termed “America’s National Treasure.” Bluetrane’s personnel includes Ed Bingham, saxophone and Director of Jazz Studies at Marshall; Martin Saunders, trumpet; Mike Stroeher, trombone; Sean Parsons, piano; Mark Zanter, guitar; and Steve Hall, percussion.

Collegiate and high school students will participate in the Jazz-MU-Tazz Festival Big Bands and student combos Friday and Saturday. During the festival, they develop their skills in improvisation and learn about the history and theory of jazz. The collegiate members of the festival are primarily current students at Marshall. The high school participants represent a number of schools throughout the area, including Spring Valley, Cabell Midland, Bridgeport, Winfield, Sherman and Calhoun high schools.

Jazz-MU-Tazz was founded in 2000 to celebrate the opening of the Jomie Jazz Center and to foster jazz in Huntington. Professional musicians, Marshall University faculty, collegiate and high school musicians combine their talents to preserve America’s true musical art form.

Here is a complete schedule of events:

• Wednesday, June 24, 7:30 p.m. at the Jomie Jazz Center: bassist Toby Curtright
• Thursday, June 25, 7:30 p.m. at the Jomie Jazz Center: Bluetrane with bassist Toby Curtright
• Friday, June 26, 7:30 p.m. at the Jomie Jazz Center: Jazz-MU-Tazz Student Combos
• Saturday, June 27, 5 p.m. at Pullman Square: Jazz–MU-Tazz Festival Big Bands with Toby Curtright