Get your sunglasses and your heavy dark coat because things are getting bright and cool this weekend in Temple in a jazzy sort of way.

Temple College's 27th Annual Jazz Festival returns this weekend, Friday, March 24th and Saturday, March 25th on the Temple College campus, 2600 S 1st St.

According to a mailer from the college, the festival is "an entertaining and educational weekend of outstanding jazz that will bring together top professional artists, clinicians and hundreds of college, high school, and junior high musicians for clinics, competitions and great performances."

The center of the action for the clinics and concerts will be in the snazzy Mary Alice Marshall Performing Arts Center auditorium, which is "jam central" for the Jazz Festival.

Tickets are available at the door. Daily passes are $5 for students and $20 for adults. If you want to make sure you're in, advance tickets may be purchased at the Temple College Fine Arts Office. Call them for more information at (254) 298-8555.

Featured performers are West Coast saxophonist Pete Christlieb and composer/pianist Kenny Werner.

Temple has its own jazz thing going on. The College has an ensemble, as does Temple High School. Expect many of the players with those groups to mix and mingle at the Festival.

BONUS: Kenny Werner's concept of "Effortless Mastery" is presented by Kenny himself in this talk at Google (!) because he's kind of a big deal. Dig for yourself:

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