North Carolina Jazz Festival (NCJF) was started in 1980 by Dr. Harry VanVelsor, a local dermatologist and consummate jazz lover.
Harry’s devotion to Dixieland and Traditional style jazz greatly influenced the structure of this new event in Wilmington.
North Carolina Jazz Festival
Over the years the greatest of Traditional Jazz artists have brought their musical talents here to be a part of this festival.
Names like Art Hodes, Milt Hinton, Kenny Davern, Keter Betts, Bobby Rosengarden, Tony DiNicola, and Johnny Frigo are among the late greats who have passed this way.
In recent years we have hosted an array of talents from around the nation and the world—Dick Hyman, Bucky Pizzarelli, Ed Polcer, Houston Person, Wycliffe Gordon, Duke Heitger and Ken Peplowski, to name just a few.
We have introduced some young newcomers to our area also— Jonathan Russell first played here at age 11, when his performance with renowned guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli was a show stopper.
Those internationals who have followed their love of jazz to its’ homeland and to the North Carolina Jazz Festival include Antti Sarpila, Nicki Parrott, Derek Smith, Bria Skonberg, Peter Appleyard, Jim Galloway and Randy Reinhart.
jazz excellence
In 2009 we added Rossano Sportiello and Anat Cohen to our international list.
In 2011 we introduced Adrian Cunningham to the NCJF audiences, and in 2014 Israeli pianist Ehud Asherie as well as Brazilian vocalist Maucha Adnet, who sang with Antonio Carlos Jobim for 10 years.
Since 2006, when Dr. VanVelsor retired from active participation in the North Carolina Jazz Festival, its board has been under the leadership of Sandy Evans, former president of the Cape Fear Jazz Society.
The history of the NCJF and its’ musicians is impressive. We look forward to continuing the tradition of bringing to the area the highest standard of jazz excellence.
NCJF is a non-profit organization, staffed solely by volunteers. With your support we can continue to bring to Wilmington top jazz musicians from across the country and around the world.
