Fareed Haque to headline rebooted Glen Ellyn jazz festival

Anyone who's ever enjoyed live music knows that sinking feeling when the band has taken their final bow, the curtain falls and the fun's over.

Organizers of Jazz Up Glen Ellyn next month have an answer for that: Bring the party inside.

Musicians who will play non-stop jazz during the afternoon will move indoors for intimate evening shows in five downtown restaurants Saturday, July 16.

That's just one of the changes by organizers from the Alliance of Downtown Glen Ellyn to a rebooted jazz festival returning to the village after a nearly two-year hiatus.

Carol White, executive director of the alliance, says the "renewed" reincarnation of the event will connect fans with a wide range of jazz music while also showcasing the downtown's shops and dining scene.

Plus, it's free admission for the 3,000 to 4,000 people expected to attend.

"And it's unique in that they're going to be able to bring their own picnic basket, wine, friends," White said. "It adds to the whole ambience of the event."

Indeed, White says the best way to enjoy the fest is to pack a picnic blanket or lawn chair and carve up a spot along Main Street. Nearly a dozen groups will perform from two stages set up on Pennsylvania Avenue and facing south down Main.

During concerts, jazz buffs can bring their own food or sample fare from three Main Street restaurants: A Toda Madre, a Mexican bistro; Main Street Pub, featuring a menu of burgers and beer; and Marché, a gourmet cheese shop that also offers wine.

The festival's headlining acts are Fareed Haque - a jazz guitarist and Northern Illinois University professor who has toured with Sting - and the Tony Monaco Trio featuring Greg Fundis. Monaco is an organ player, while Fundis is a drummer.

DeKalb-based Barb City Stompers, a band influenced by New Orleans jazz, kicks off the live music on the street at 2:30 p.m.

But clinics, master classes and meet-and-greets with musicians will be held throughout the day.

That educational focus is another difference since the alliance resurrected the festival with the village and added its own spin. The first jazz fest began in 2007, run in part by another group of businesses, the chamber of commerce.

"We really wanted to bring a signature event to downtown Glen Ellyn that continued to make the town a destination for those outside of Glen Ellyn, but also to energize the community to come out, bring their friends, sit back and really enjoy the town," White said.

The festival ends with evening jazz sessions at Marinella's, Deacon & Mercy, North Side Sports Bar & Grill, Enza Sicilian Osteria and Main Street Pub.

White said more than 50 volunteers are needed to staff the event, most of whom will be posted at entrances and exits. To sign up for two-hour shifts, visit Jazzupglenellyn.com, where you also can surf through the full lineup of musicians.

Festival admission is free, White says, thanks to sponsors and fundraisers. Donations also can made during the event.

"We'd love to bring it back year after year as a free event with high-quality jazz musicians," she said.