NIU Jazz Lab Band releases DVD, performs semester's final concert

The Northern Illinois University Jazz Lab Band, directed by Rodrigo Villanueva, will perform its last concert of the fall semester at 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17.

The concert will feature NIU Jazz Studies faculty Reggie Thomas and Fareed Haque. The concert also will serve as the official release of the first Jazz Lab Band DVD, recorded live at the 2014 Illinois Music Education Conference featuring Fareed Haque, Art Davis, Geof Bradfield, Kelly Sill, Tom Garling, Rodrigo Villanueva and Paul Bauer, the recently retired director of the NIU School of Music.

Richard Holly, dean of the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts, said that having the camera on during a live performance raises the bar and helps students focus.

"One of the greatest experiences we can provide our students is for them to be able to play alongside professionals," Holly said. "We are extremely fortunate to have so many renowned jazz professionals on our faculty, and for the students to be able to perform with them not only gives the students a thrill, but provides them with an aural reference so they learn and can say to themselves 'that's how I want to play'."

The DVD is available now at the NIU Bookstore, and all proceeds will benefit future NIU Jazz Lab Band or Jazz Studies activities and events.

The concert will be held in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building at 400 Lucinda Ave. on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. The concert is free and open to the public.

For more information, call Rodrigo Villanueva at (815) 753-3425.