The Alabama Blues Project will host their annual Alabama Blues Weekend festival July 7 and 8 on The University of Alabama Campus. During the two-day festival, guests can attend master classes given by some of the country’s best blues players and music industry experts, learn more about the history of blues and participate in live blues concerts.

According to The Blues Foundation website, blues.org, The Alabama Blues Project was started by Debbie Bond in 1995 to educate and entertain adults and children through blues programs such as ensembles and after-school camps. The Alabama Blues Project has also been awarded the Blues Foundation’s “Keeping the Blues Alive” award for their work. 

The festival will begin on Friday with registration at the Bryant Conference Center at 9:30 a.m. After that, there will be an “Intro to the Blues” class, masterclasses for different instruments, and panels on the future of the industry, the Alabama Blues Project and a documentary film with B.J. Reed. On Saturday, panels will begin at 2 p.m. at the Bryant Conference Center and the festival will round out with a concert in Moody Music Hall at 6:30 p.m. 

The concert will feature guests from the festival like Mark Avant, Dave Crenshaw, Dan Kolan and B.J. Miller. 

Avant is a trumpet player, conductor and member of jazz troupe the T Horns. He’s performed in many Blues avenues since the 1980s and has worked with many famous musicians, like Natalie Cole, the Temptations, and Martha Reeves. Crenshaw is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer. He has worked with big names like Snoop Dogg, Cee Lo Green, and Maroon 5.  

Kolan is a trombone player and doctoral student at The University of Alabama. He has worked with jazz musicians such as Aaron Diehl, and has recently been touring with The Temptations. Other artists and UA faculty will also perform. 

More information about the event can be found at alabamablues.org. Tickets can also be bought at the Alabama Blues Project website for $10.