The Gene Harris Jazz Festival started in 1998 with some big names performing in Boise. Over the last six years, the public performances were eliminated to focus on student education.
Now, the student jazz competition has been canceled and organizers are doing an annual showcase.
“I saw an opportunity with Treefort Music Fest to partner up with them and to create something that was more commercial, more relevant for our students, as well as using a lot of the funding that was historically spent on bringing in dozens of great artists,” said Boise State assistant professor of trumpet and Gene Harris Jazz Festival executive director, Derek Ganong.
The inaugural Gene Harris Jazz Showcase took place on March 28 during Treefort, with student groups from across the Treasure Valley performing bluegrass, rock, jazz and more at Boise State’s Hemingway Center.
Ganong says that while the educational part of the jazz fest will not include a contest moving forward, other Gene Harris programs like jam sessions and the after-school all stars program will continue.
