Penn Valley instructor receives jazz award

MCC-Penn Valley Music Instructor Clarence Smith was recently awarded the First Ahmad Alaadeen Award for Excellence in Jazz Education. The late Alaadeen was a Kansas City legend and saxaphonist. His widow, Fannie, will attend the Penn Valley Jazz Ensemble's winter concert on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. in the Little Theater.

Selected jazz standards include works from the Hard Bop era as well as music from Count Basie, Maynard Ferguson, Donny Hathaway and a moving selection written by Alaadeen.

Congratulations to Smith and let's get in full swing with the holidays at the concert!