PEMBROKE, N.C., April 27 -- The University of North Carolina at Pembroke issued the following news release:
Sitting on stage during his senior recital, tenor saxophonist Jaylen Jones found himself
in a moment that once felt far out of reach -performing original compositions, confident
in his sound and certain of his path.
Just four years earlier, Jones arrived at UNC Pembroke as a music major with limited
jazz experience. Today, the graduating senior has been accepted into multiple prestigious
jazz studies graduate programs and will continue his musical journey this fall at
the University of North Texas, one of the nation's premier jazz programs.
"I was a saxophone player, but I wasn't really a jazz player," Jones said. "When I
came here...