Jazz in Glen Ellyn to offer eclectic music mix

Jazz music is a broad term. Wikipedia lists no less than 51 musical genres associated with it.

So when Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce organizers of Jazz in Glen Ellyn get down to booking acts for the annual evening-long outdoor summer jazz festival, they call on an expert for guidance, in an effort to make the event an eclectic and rewarding experience for jazz fans.

"I tried to help them out the last few years with some suggestions," said Doug Beach, director of jazz studies at Elmhurst College.

Beach, a trumpet player and Grammy-award winner, directs the Elmhurst College Jazz Band.

"We were one of the acts (performing at Jazz in Glen Ellyn) a couple years ago," Beach said.

This year, Jazz in Glen Ellyn is set for 3:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 11, and will feature four acts.

First up, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., is LePercolateur, a Chicago band that performs Gypsy jazz.

"It'll be fun to listen to, with the violin in there," Beach said.

The Stephanie Browning Quartet follows from 6 to 7 p.m. Browning performed for a couple of years at the now-shuttered Gold Star Sardine Bar in Chicago, where she was an artist-in-residence.

From 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Howard Levy and Chris Siebold Duo take the stage.

"Chris Siebold is a graduate of Elmhurst College. He was in my band for four years," said Beach, adding that Siebold is a great guitar player. "These two guys will have an appeal to the crowd. It's kind of a showmanship thing."

The evening is rounded out with a 9 to 10:30 p.m. performance by Joel Adams and Chicago Yestet, a band Beach describes as delivering "straight-ahead jazz."

Yestet has seven horns, a rhythm section and a vocalist.

"You'll be able to hear the pulse of the music," Beach said. "The more abstract it gets, the harder it is to follow. These guys won't be that abstract. It'll be accessible."

Admission to the festival is free. Presented by the chamber and underwritten by several sponsors, it will be staged on Main Street between Crescent Boulevard and Pennsylvania Avenue. This year, a portion of Pennsylvania Avenue also will be blocked to traffic to accommodate growing crowds, said Mike Formento, the chamber's executive director.

"If the weather is good, we're expecting 3,000 people at this event," Formento said.

Jazz fans are welcome to bring their own chairs, Formento said. Reserved seating also is available.

"We have a reserved jazz garden where people can buy a table that's right in front of the stage," he said.

A table for four is $100. New this year is the option to buy a single reserved seat for $30, Formento said.

Visitors may not bring tables, coolers, pets or alcohol.

Beverages and food will be available for purchase at the festival.

"It's not your typical fair food. It's a step up," said Michelle Lawalin, chamber administrative coordinator.

Formento said parking is available in two large lots on either side of Main Street. Many visitors take the Metra train directly to the festival site, he said.

"We get people from all over that are attending this event," he said. "It's a very comfortable area to be in. We're certainly looking forward to it."

If you go

What: Jazz in Glen Ellyn

When: 3:30 to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 11

Where: Main Street, Glen Ellyn

Cost: Free; reserved seating available for $25-$30

Info: www.jazzinglenellyn.org and www.glenellynchamber.com