Jazz in the Parks returns in Glen Ellyn

You know it's summer when the Glen Ellyn Jazz Ensemble rolls into the parks with its horns, piano and drums.

This season, the ensemble is scheduled to give free performances at three different parks for the Jazz in the Parks series. All concerts are from 7 to 9 p.m.

The first concert is Wednesday, June 21, at Maryknoll Park, 845 Perishing Park. Keyboard player Drew Fase said the set list will include Glen Miller's "In the Mood" and Maynard Ferguson's arrangement of "The Theme from Sesame Street."

Next up, the ensemble will play Wednesday, July 26, in Newton Park, 707 Fairview Ave.

"We're going to feature our guitar player in July," Fase said, a performance that will include a rendition of Steely Dan's "Bodhisaltva."

The Jazz in the Parks season finale is slated for Wednesday, Aug. 16, in Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn.

When Jazz in the Parks first came to the parks, all the concerts were held in Lake Ellyn Park, said Jeannie Robinson, assistant superintendent of recreation services.

A few years ago, a construction project at Lake Ellyn necessitated a move to other park locations. The park district took note when residents welcomed this change with enthusiasm.

"We had some feedback from people that they liked having it at different parks," Robinson said.

She said moving the location made it convenient for residents from a variety of sections of the village and resulted in increased attendance. The series has been a roaming aural experience ever since.

On each performance night, the park district gets the band set up with its mobile stage/band shell. There is an effort to keep the event simple. No concessions are sold, no alcohol is permitted, and there's no admission fee.

"We've been averaging over 100 people these last couple years," Fase said. "People will bring a blanket and (picnic) baskets. I've always described it as a mini-Ravinia."

Robinson said inclement weather could force a concert cancellation. Cancellations will be posted on the park district website, gepark.org/weather, and information about cancellations is available by calling the Rainout Line at (630) 984-5075.

Formed in 1995, the ensemble started out playing in the parking lot by the train station and moved to the parks after a year or two. The band rehearses twice a month in the Main Street Recreation Center, and performs a variety of jazz, from big band sounds to more modern jazz.

The 17-piece band includes five or six musicians who have been with the ensemble since the start, including Fase. Several others have been with the band more than a dozen years. The newest addition is the bass player, added only about six months ago.

There are four trombone players, four trumpet players, five saxophone players, a string bass player, an electric guitar player, a drummer and Fase, who plays the electronic piano/synthesizer.

For the past couple of years, vocalist Mona Roy also has performed with the ensemble.

Fase said the band members include real estate agents, insurance specialists, music and chemistry teachers, and mechanical and software engineers. Fase is a customs broker. What they all have in common is a love for jazz.

"We all like to play. Everybody likes to play a couple times a month," he said.

In addition to the Jazz in the Parks series, the ensemble occasionally performs at area libraries, at private parties and at Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce events.

"We just did a benefit for Anima, the Glen Ellyn children's chorus," Fase said.

The Glen Ellyn Jazz Ensemble is always looking for new and substitute players. For information, email Drew Fase at drew@alfase.com.

For information on Jazz in the Parks, visit gepark.org/jazz.