The African American Jazz Caucus, Inc., in partnership with the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture of the New York Public Library, will launch Black History month by presenting the 2009 AAJC/HBCU Student All-star Big Band in concert, Sunday, February 1, 2009 at 3:00 pm, in the Schomburg Langston Hughes Auditorium, 135th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard, Harlem, New York. The big band is composed of the finest young talent from outstanding jazz programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

The establishment of the AAJC/HBCU Student All-star Big Band was conceived in 2001 by Dr. Larry Ridley, Executive Director of the African American Jazz Caucus, Inc. They have been performing since 2002 under the direction of the AAJC/HBCU Jazz Directors Committee to standing room only audiences in Long Beach, California; New York City; Toronto, Canada and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. They were also the featured band in 2006 and 2008 at the University of Notre Dame Collegiate Jazz Festival, the oldest collegiate jazz festival in the world. The Chairman of the Committee is Dr. Russell Thomas, Jackson State University.

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities represented by the 2009 big band members are: Clark Atlanta University; Fayetteville State University; Florida A & M University; Huston – Tillotson University; Jackson State University; North Carolina Central University; Texas Southern University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. The big band will be conducted by Professor James Patterson, Clark Atlanta University; Professor James Holden, Virginia State University and Professor Robert Trowers, North Carolina Central University.

Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., Founder & Chairman of the National Juneteenth Holiday Campaign, will present the prestigious “National Juneteenth Leadership Award” to Ms. Patricia R. Deans, Founder & Director of the Brownsville Heritage House in Brooklyn, NY. Ms. Deans played a key role in the successful passage of the historic legislation in 2004 recognizing “Juneteenth Freedom Day” as an official New York State Holiday Observance.

Please come celebrate Black History Month in Harlem with us!

For more information, please visit www.aajc.us or call (212) 979-0304.

Tickets: members, $16; non members, $20.

For ticket charge call the Schomburg Shop at (212) 491-2206.