Musicians Rory Stuart And Glenn Wilson Will Perform At The Birmingham Public Library's International Jazz Day, Thursday, April 27

The Birmingham Public Library is celebrating International Jazz Day on Thursday, April 27, at the Central Library, starting at 1:00 p.m. Jazz musicians Rory Stuart and Glenn Wilson will be performing live at the library!

Keep reading to learn more about our performers.

International Jazz Day is observed on Saturday, April 30, as the culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month in April, celebrating the diplomatic history and impact of jazz across the globe. There are registered events in more than 180 countries!

Birmingham, Alabama, has a special jazz history, and the Birmingham Public Library is excited to honor that history with a celebration of music. 

The duo featuring guitarist Rory Stuart and baritone saxophonist Glenn Wilson will perform at the Central Library on Thursday, April 27, as a part of a four-week tour of the South, performing at various art centers, jazz clubs, schools, and libraries throughout the South.

Rory Stuart is a jazz guitarist and composer based in New York. Jazz Tims called him "Perhaps THE most innovative straight-ahead jazz guitarist to emerge in years" and named as one of the greatest living jazz guitarists by Scott Yanow in the Great Jazz Guitarists. 

Glenn Wilson has been called "an unsung hero in modern jazz" by the All Music Guide and has performed with bands, like Tito Puente, Bruce Hornsby, Buddy Rich, and Lionel Hampton. Both are renowned educators passionate about growing an appreciation and understanding of jazz music.

Food trucks will be available in the Central Library's parking lot, and the live performance will be on the first floor in the Grand Commons. 

This program is free and open to the public. Enjoy live music and food trucks at your local library!  

About International Jazz Day 

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated International Jazz Day as April 30 in November 2011. As of December 2012, the United Nations joined UNESCO in formally recognizing International Jazz Day on their respective official calendars. 

This observed day highlights the jazz genre and its diplomatic role, uniting people all over the world. It raises awareness about the need for "intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding" and honors the genre's history of expression and strives for equality.  

International Jazz Day brings together communities, artists, historians, academics, and people across the globe to celebrate and learn about jazz—its roots, future, and impact. 

This honorary day is chaired and led by UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay and acclaimed jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, who serves as a UNESCO Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue and Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. 

By Cheyenne Trujillo | Library Assistant Ⅲ, Public Relations