Elmhurst College Jazz Festival celebrates 50th year
The Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, one of the oldest collegiate jazz festivals in the country, celebrates its 50th anniversary with an all-star lineup of the industry's most notable performing artists, as well as some of the country's leading college bands.
In honor of the 50th anniversary, the jazz festival kicks off with a Gala Opening Concert featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Elmhurst College Jazz Band Thursday, Feb. 23, and closes with a concert Sunday, Feb. 26, by the Bill Holman Big Band, featuring an original commemorative composition by Bill Holman.
All performances are held in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel on campus, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst.
Other festival headliners include pianist Michael Abene, baritone saxophonist Denis DiBlasio, tenor saxophonist Pat LaBarbera, drummer Dennis Mackrel, bassist Rufus Reid, trumpeter Bobby Shew, the Patrick Williams Big Band and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.
Each February, the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival welcomes the industry's top professional musicians and the nation's leading college bands for performances and education. The college bands take turns performing for some of the greatest names in professional jazz today, who offer critiques and award honors in a variety of areas. Each night the festival concludes with a performance by one of the headliners.
The festival begins at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, with the High School Invitational, followed that evening by the Gala Opening Concert: Dee Dee Bridgewater with the Elmhurst College Jazz Band.
Friday's evening session begins at 7:30 p.m. with performances by college ensembles, a jam session by the festival judges, and a performance by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.
Saturday evening's session begins at 7:30 p.m. with performances by the University of Kentucky and Elmhurst College, and closes with a performance by the Patrick Williams Big Band.
Sunday's session begins at 11 a.m. and concludes at 4:30 p.m. with the Bill Holman Big Band.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.elmhurst.edu/jazzfestival.