A summer concert series created to draw younger audiences to campus is gearing up to play its 25th season.
Jazz in June at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln launched in 1991 and drew hundreds to performances in the green space near the Sheldon Museum of Art. Today, the series draws thousands to the space and has grown to include a marketplace, campus tours, a bike parking service, yoga sessions and a variety of other activities during the weekly concerts.
The 2016 jazz concert lineup will feature performances by Arturo Sandoval, Lao Tizer, Jackie Allen and Tim Doherty’s Nine Plus One.
Concerts are at 7 p.m. each Tuesday in June in the sculpture garden west of the Sheldon. The series is free, but attendees are encouraged to make a donation to help ensure its continuation.
Concertgoers are allowed to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Pets are not allowed.
Yoga will be offered as a new activity prior to each concert. Led by UNL Campus Recreation group fitness instructors, the basic yoga sessions will be 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday in the greenspace north of UNL’s Woods Art Building. Participants are encouraged to bring a towel or mat to the session.
The marketplace, featuring vendors with food, drinks and artisan-made crafts, begins at 5 p.m. each week at 12th and R streets.
UNL BikeValet offers free, secure parking for bicycles from 5 p.m. until one hour after each concert. The service is available on the east end of the marketplace. For more information, click here or contact the UNL Outdoor Adventures Center at 402-472-4777.
Walking tours of UNL’s botanical gardens and arboretum will again be offered prior to Jazz in June concerts. The tours, which begin at 6 p.m. near the Sheldon’s east entrance, are led by representatives of UNL and Lincoln Parks and Recreation. Information on each tour is listed below in the 2016 Jazz in June schedule.
In the event of inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances, a Jazz in June concert may need to be canceled. Information on cancelations will be posted on UNL websites.
2016 Jazz in June
June 7
Arturo Sandoval — A 10-time Grammy Award winner and protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, Sandoval was born in a small two in the outskirts of Havana, Cuba. Sandoval began studying classical trumpet at the age of 12. He has since evolved into one of the world’s most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn. He is also a renowned classical artist, pianist and composer.
Garden Tour: Historic and Unique Trees on Campus — Led by Eileen Bergt, assistant director of Landscape Services, the tour will explore the historic trees in the original four block campus of the University of Nebraska. Bergt will also showcase some of the new and unique trees that have been planted.
June 14
Lao Tizer — A keyboardist and recording artist, Tizer has been declared “a torchbearer for the new generation of contemporary jazz.” His group, TIZER, offers an eclectic blend of jam-based world music, jazz and contemporary fusion. Including Tizer, the group also features Jeff Kollman, Rufus Philpot, Raul Pineda and Steve Nieves. The group last played Jazz in June in 2012.
Garden Tour: New Campus Projects — Led by Emily Casper, campus landscape architect, the tour will feature UNL’s new Love Commons Plaza and the Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame. Tour highlights include discussions on stormwater mitigation features integrated into the plaza design, new plants to campus and other design features of both projects.
June 21
Jackie Allen — Allen is a critically acclaimed vocalist, songwriter and educator, who has been described as “utterly distinctive and even innovative” by Billboard Magazine. She has toured the world, including trips through Brazil, Germany, Italy, Morocco, the Netherlands, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and China. Her 11th album, “Moon’s On The Rise,” will be released this summer and is a collection of original songs. Allen teaches music at Doane College in Crete. Her husband, bassist Hans Sturm, is an associate professor in UNL’s Glenn Korff School of Music.
Garden Tour: Historic Campus Continued — Led by Kay Logan-Peters, art and architecture librarian, the tour will feature the first expansion of the University of Nebraska campus. Buildings on the tour will include the College of Business Administration, Love Library, Teachers College and Morrill Hall. Other historic buildings may be included if time allows.
June 28
Tim Doherty’s Nine Plus One — The brainchild of saxophonist Doherty, Nine Plus One was established in 2008 and features Kansas City’s top professional jazz musicians performing the best in “little big band” music. The group covers a wide range of jazz styles, including early swing era of the late 1920s, the cool jazz period of the 1940s and early 1950s, the hard bop jazz of the late 1950s and early 1960s, and even contemporary compositions from today’s most heralded jazz composers. In addition to ongoing local club dates, recent performances include the Junction City Opera House, Topeka Jazz Workshop Concert Series, and the JCCC Jazz Interlude. For more information on Nine Plus One, click here.
Garden Tour: Evolution of Love Garden — Led by Ann Powers, a landscape assistant with Landscape Services, and Mark Canney, a park planner with Lincoln Parks and Recreation, the tour will examine the 70 year history of the garden space immediately south of Love Library South. The guides will discuss the first design of the garden, new plants in the space and recommendations on favorite plants.
