The 27th season of Jazz in June opens June 5 with a performance by drummer and vocalist Jamison Ross.
Winner of the 2012 Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Drums Competition, Ross is a bold musician whose upbringing in his grandfather’s church exposed him to the expressiveness of drumming and the power of the human voice. The Jacksonville, Florida native got his first professional break with singer Carmen Lundy, who discovered him in the Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Ross has recorded and performed with Lundy, Dr. John, Snarky Puppy, Irvin Mayfield, Jon Cleary, Ellis Marsalis, Billy Childs and Christian McBride. He also appeared in the drumming documentary “Chops” and HBO’s “Wynton Marsalis: A Youngarts Master Class.”
His albums include 2015’s “Jamison,” which received a Grammy nomination for best jazz vocal album, and 2018’s critically acclaimed “All for One.”
Concerts are at 7 p.m. each Tuesday in June in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s sculpture garden west of the Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R streets. The concert series is free, but attendees are encouraged to make a donation of $10 per family to help ensure its continuation.
Concertgoers are allowed to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Pets are not allowed. Recycling bins are provided throughout the concert area.
VIP tickets available
Guests are invited to join Jazz in June’s new membership program, The Rhythm Club. Membership supports the booking of top-tier artists and new education programs, and helps keep the concerts free. Members enjoy VIP seating and meet-and-greets with artists, and can be recognized as event sponsors. Learn more about The Rhythm Club.
Free basic yoga
Campus Recreation offers yoga at 5:30 p.m. each Tuesday in June before the concert northwest of Woods Hall. Participants are encouraged to bring a towel or mat.
Marketplace
Located at 12th and R streets, the Jazz in June Market features a variety of vendors with food, drinks and artisan-made crafts. The marketplace opens at 5 p.m. each week. A full list of vendors is available online.
Bike parking service
Bike Valet provides free, secure parking for bicycles from 5 p.m. until an hour after each concert at the east end of the market. Learn more about the Bike Valet program or call the Outdoor Adventures Center at 402-472-4777.
Garden tours
Representatives of the Nebraska faculty, Landscape Services, Lincoln Parks and Recreation and Sheldon Museum of Art offer walking tours of campus gardens at 6 p.m. each Tuesday in June. The tours, which are free, start at Sheldon’s east entrance. The “Pollinator Tour” on June 5 will feature Doug Golick, assistant professor of entomology, discussing ways to improve home landscape habitats for pollinators. Learn more about the garden tours.
Inclement weather
In the event of inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances, a Jazz in June concert may need to be canceled. Information on cancellations will be posted on the main university website and Sheldon Museum of Art site.
Learn more about the annual concert series, including a list of upcoming performances.
