Festival

Concert of Colors: NEA JAZZ MASTERS: GARY BARTZ & NTU

Sunday, July 19

7:45 – 8:30 PM

NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz is one of the most influential saxophonists of the modern era, renowned for a career spanning more than six decades at the forefront of jazz innovation. A two-time Grammy Award winner and 2024 NEA Jazz Master, Bartz has performed and recorded with legendary artists including Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Art Blakey, and McCoy Tyner. In the 1970s, he founded the groundbreaking NTU Troop, an ensemble that fused jazz, funk, soul, blues, and African musical traditions into a powerful expression of artistic freedom and cultural identity. Through his pioneering work with NTU and his extensive body of recordings as a leader, Bartz has helped shape generations of musicians while continuing to captivate audiences with his expressive sound, fearless creativity, and enduring artistry.