A hallmark of the annual festival is the featured guest artist. This year’s featured guest artist is David Smith, a sought-after trumpet player based in New York City who has been recognized as a 2025 Joan C. Edwards Distinguished Professor in the Arts. Smith has released three albums featuring his original compositions and has appeared on the GRAMMY Award-winning albums Bianca Reimagined from the Dan Pugach Big Band (2025) and Four Questions from Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra (2019).
Smith has also performed and recorded with Harry Connick Jr., Tom Jones, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and The Who. Currently, Smith is Artist Teacher in trumpet at the Jackie McLean Institute at the Hartt School, University of Hartford in Connecticut.
“Every year, we seek to invite a guest artist who is both a luminary performer and an inspiring educator,” said Jeff Wolfe, director of Jazz Studies at Marshall. “David’s experience, dedication to teaching and exceptionally high level of musicianship will edify our students and entertain our audiences.”
Highlights of the Winter Jazz Festival schedule are as follows:
· Wednesday, Feb.26, 7:30 p.m.: Morehead State University Jazz Ensemble and the Jewel City Jazz Orchestra
· Thursday, Feb.27, 1 p.m.: Clinic for student participants with David Smith; 6 p.m.: MU Jazz Combo I and David Smith with Marshall University jazz faculty Nick Vassar on guitar and Lars Swanson on bass, as well as clinician Jesse Nolan on drums
· Friday, Feb.28, 1 p.m.: Clinic for student participants with David Smith; 6 p.m.: The Thundering Herd All-Star Jazz Ensemble, and MU Jazz Ensemble I, featuring David Smith.
The Winter Jazz festival also includes performances from regional middle and high school jazz ensembles from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb.27, and Friday,
Feb.28. For more information about the festival, visit www.marshall.edu/music/jazz/events/jazzfest./
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