Legends of jazz: unique festival and professor of music approach milestone

Over the past 49 years, the Pitt State Jazz Festival has brought to a small city in Kansas not just hundreds of high school jazz bands from across the region — many directed by Pitt State music alumni — but also some of the biggest jazz performers those students could hope to see. As retiring festival director Bob Kehle was putting the final touches on this year’s line-up, he shared reflections on how the festival works, its history, its impact, and memories that stand out.