Approaching the concept of jazz from a different perspective that improvises from all over the world, the Elden Kelly Quartet transforms a multitude of musical languages into a singular, spontaneous and entrancing musical experience for its listeners.
Revealing music from all over the world, Kelly leads his quartet to unite the audience in a visual and audible rapt connection. Elden Kelly, guitarist, singer and songwriter, entrances audiences with a style composed of diverse elements that speak about something fresh, relevant, urgent and new in today’s world. His interest in international styles led him to the oud (a fretless Egyptian lute) and the glissentar (a 12-stringed fretless guitar) instruments which he now incorporates into many of his performances. In addition to instrumental improvisation, Elden also works as a singer-songwriter, whose musical style blends jazz and neo-classicism with middle-eastern influences and American roots music.
Elden Kelly will also lead a guitar clinic Friday at 6:15pm in 1210 Turner. As an improviser and composer, Elden Kelly is not only influenced by jazz, but also other global music traditions. In this clinic, Elden will demonstrate techniques on the glissentar (fretless guitar) and how to incorporate melodic and rhythmic ideas from Indian raga and Middle Eastern maqam into improvisation.
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Welcome to JazzFest 2011
Entering its 17th year, the Lansing JazzFest is a two-day FREE music festival that brings national, regional, and local acts to an audience of roughly 15,000 people from across Michigan and nearby states.
JazzFest’s music truly is living music, history in the making. Each artist at the festival is asked to play an original composition, something that hasn’t been played at any other festival.
This year’s festival will take place Friday, August 5 (4pm-12am), and Saturday, August 6, 2011 (1pm-12am).
