NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

2/19/2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES- Trumpeter Byron Stripling who portrayed Louis Armstrong on Broadway in the musical "Satchmo" will perform at Northwestern State University Saturday, March 2.

Stripling will be the guest artist in a concert with the NSU Jazz Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free.

Stripling was selected by conductor John Williams of the Boston Pops Orchestra, as featured soloist on the PBS television special, "Evening at Pops." An accomplished actor and singer, Stripling was chosen, following a world wide search, to star in the lead role of the Broadway bound musical, "Satchmo." He also had a cameo performance in the TV movie, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles." Stripling also gave a critically acclaimed virtuoso trumpet and comedic performance in the 42nd Street production of "From Second Avenue to Broadway."

In a review of Stripling, the New York Times said ""Mr. Stripling is a powerful trumpeter, at ease with the most complicated and detailed bebop lines and an open-armed Armstrong swagger." The Chicago Tribune said of him, "Stripling, a charismatic soloist... The outsized tone and flamboyant virtuosity he brought to Dizzy Gillespie's 'A Night In Tunisia' and the lyric poetry he expressed in 'I Can't Get Started' set a high standard..."

Stripling has also been a featured soloist on The Grammy Awards. He has also done trumpet solos and voiceovers on television commercials, TV theme songs and movie soundtracks.

Stripling made his Carnegie Hall debut with Skitch Hendersen and the New York Pops and has soloed with The Boston Pops, Virginia Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Boca Raton Pops, Knoxville Symphony, Baton Rouge Symphony, Illinois Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, and American Jazz Philharmonic. He was also lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, and Buck Clayton in addition to The Lincoln Center Classical Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and The GRP All-Star Big Band.

The Jazz Orchestra will close out the 2001-02 season with "The Best of the Sacred Concerts of Duke Elllington" April 17.

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