College jazz bands trek to Elmhurst for weekend showcase

Todd Kelly was running on just four hours of sleep, but he wasn't feeling the effects just yet.

"I'll probably hate myself tomorrow morning," said the Peoria-area musician and director of Bradley University's jazz ensemble.

Kelly spent Friday night performing with his own band. By sunrise, he and 19 students were aboard a bus, heading for the 42nd annual Elmhurst College Jazz Festival.

Once there, the group was taking in its first music clinic.

"It's an opportunity for them to interact with other musicians," Kelly said. "I want to get these kids as many opportunities to interact with working professionals as I can."

More than 40 bands, from schools as far away as Boston College to area schools like Triton College and Northern Illinois University, will spend the weekend performing at the festival.

For teachers like Rodrigo Villanueva, an instructor of the NIU jazz lab band, the group's weekend performance provides an invaluable opportunity to get detailed feedback from some of the guest musicians on hand.

"They provide some very lengthy feedback for our kids," Villanueva said. "It's a very good learning environment."

More than 3,500 people are expected through the end of Sunday's performances, said Doug Beach, director of Elmhurst College's jazz studies program.

"Over the last 25 years, the teaching of jazz has become so organized," Beach said. "A lot of these kids sound like pros."

The school's jazz festival continues Sunday starting at 11:30 a.m., with performances from bands from Purdue University, St. Norbert College, Joliet Junior College and several other schools. To purchase tickets, visit elmhurst.edu/jazzfestival.