Women’s Jazz Festival: Spelman College Jazz Ens.

Since its inception, the Spelman College Jazz Ensemble has established an eight-to-ten city tour, gathering new fans and teaching old ones that jazz isn't a man's world after all. Spelman College Jazz Ensemble's unique combination of vocalists, wind instrumentalists and rhythm section has thrilled and excited audiences across the country with their innovative and soulful sound.

This year the ensemble is performing under the direction of Ralph M. Jones has been active as a performing artist in the African-American Improvisational tradition for over 30 years. As an internationally recognized performing artist, he has recorded and performed throughout the U.S., Europe, Africa and Asia with Dr. Yusef Lateef, Pharaoh Sanders, AhmedAbdul Malik, Ella Fitzgerald, Wadada Leo Smith, Ken Cox the MC5, Adam Rudolph's Moving Pictures, The Go: Organic Orchestra and his group, The Seekers of Truth Revolutionary Ensemble( SOTRE). He is also a founding member of the internationally acclaimed world music ensemble, Eternal Wind.
As an educator, he served 19 years on the music faculty and as Co-Chair of the California State Summer School for the Arts. He has been Faculty in Residence at Oberlin College's Afrika Heritage House. In July 2013, Ralph taught musical concepts and performance in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil for the program “ Arts and Transformation.” Ralph is currently Senior Lecturer for Spelman College and Musical Director of the Spelman College Jazz Ensemble.