Musicians to polish songs at jazz fest

The cool sounds of jazz promise to melt away the winter blues on Saturday, as Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights hosts its 11th annual Jazz Jamboree.

Nine middle school jazz groups will perform in the festival, beginning at 8:30 a.m. when the South Middle School jazz ensemble opens, and lasting through 2:30 p.m. when MacArthur Junior High School jazz ensemble kicks off their set.

Admission is $4 or $10 for a family. Thomas Middle School is located at 1430 N. Belmont Ave. in Arlington Heights.

Other schools participating include: Emerson Middle School in Niles, River Trails Middle School in Mount Prospect, Indian Trail Junior High School in Addison, Plum Grove Junior High School in Rolling Meadows, and Deer Path Middle School in Lake Forest.

Each will play a 30-minute set -- typically featuring a swing number, Latin or salsa chart and possibly some rock -- before they depart into the adjoining band room for a 30-minute clinic with one of the three junior high band directors serving as judges.

"The kids get so much feedback from those clinics," said Dana Berry, Thomas Middle School band director. "Anytime the kids can play for someone else, besides their own director, it's a good thing."

The festival takes place in the school's commons area, in a setting transformed into an "elegant bistro" by eighth-grade catering students.

Patrons sit at tables and can order a pizza lunch provided by WaPaGhetti's, and desserts, created in school by the students.

A special treat takes place at noon, when the "Blue Note" jazz combo, from the Chicago College of Performing Arts and directed by Rob Parton, performs for students and their families.

The layout of the festival resembles the much bigger Jazz in the Meadows festival, coming up Feb. 23 at Rolling Meadows High School, which draws middle school jazz bands as well as high school groups.

In fact some of these bands will continue on to play at Jazz in the Meadows, Berry said.

However, the Thomas jazz fest features one big difference: it is strictly non-competitive, Berry said, and reinforces the educational aspect of polishing pieces, and the value of playing in front of an audience, outside of the band room setting.