100 jazz bands will play Rolling Meadows High School

There will be way more than 76 trombones at Rolling Meadow High School on Saturday.

More than 100 school bands and thousands of musicians will perform throughout the day at the 23rd annual Jazz in the Meadows Festival at Rolling Meadows High School.

"Jazz in the Meadows has a great reputation, and we're looking forward to another year," said Chris Buti, director of bands at Rolling Meadows High School.

The bands are coming from Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri, and they include junior high school jazz bands as well as high school combos and jazz ensembles.

Starting at 8 a.m., school groups will play every 30 minutes. Each band will perform a 15-minute set in front of three music instructors or jazz professionals, Buti said.

This year's event will include a noon clinic by the Chicago College of Performing Arts Faculty Combo featuring drummer Paul Wertico. He and fellow performers Jim Gailloreto on saxophone, guitarist Henry Johnson, Jim Trompeter at the piano and bassist Rob Amster will present a concert and provide instruction to students and guests.

The grand finale concert at the end of the day will include the winners of the competitive categories and a performance by the College of Lake County Jazz Ensemble, Buti said.

Last year, Warren Township High School in Gurnee captured first place in Class 4A, while the John Hersey High School jazz ensemble in Arlington Heights took first in its division, Class 3A, as well as first in the large combo portion. In the junior high division, Cooper Middle School of Buffalo Grove placed first.

Saturday's event is open to the public, and tickets are available at the door. Performances begin at 8 a.m. and run through 4:45 p.m., when the grand finale concert starts.

An all-day ticket is $15 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens.

Tickets for the daytime events and evening concert are $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Tickets to only the Grand Finale concert are $10 for adults and $6 for students and seniors. Admission for the daytime only events is $12 for adults and $8 for students and seniors.

Rolling Meadows High School is located at 2901 Central Road in Rolling Meadows. For details, call (847) 718-5752 or go to www.rollingmeadowsband.com.

Local bands

• 8 a.m.: Rolling Meadows High School, Carmel High School, Fremd High School and Lake Zurich High School

• 8:30 a.m.: Rolling Meadows, Conant High School, Mundelein High School

• 9 a.m.: Grayslake High School, Fremd, Warren Township High School

• 9:30 a.m.: Lake Zurich, Carmel

• 10 a.m.: Mundelein, Fremd, Rolling Meadows

• 10:30 a.m.: Barrington High School, Niles North High School, Conant, Warren Township

• 11 a.m.: St. Viator High School, Buffalo Grove High School, Niles West High School, Lake Zurich

• 11:30 a.m.: Warren Township

• Noon: Schaumburg High School

• 12:30 p.m.: Bolingbrook High School, Warren Township

• 1 p.m.: Libertyville High School

• 1:30 p.m.: Schaumburg, Mundelein, Hersey High School, Wheeling High School

• 2 p.m.: Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove High School

• 2:30 p.m.: Hersey, Naperville North High School, Libertyville, Barrington

• 3 p.m.: Thomas Middle School, Deerfield High School, Schaumburg, Prospect High School, Warren Township

• 3:30 p.m.: Wheeling

• 4 p.m.: Cooper Middle School, Prospect

For more information, visit www.rollingmeadowsband.com