Pro jazz band, Itasca students team up to raise scholarship funds

Instead of being nervous in front of the audience this weekend, the student musicians from F.E. Peacock Middle School in Itasca might be more worried about impressing their stage mates.

On Saturday, March 7, the school's jazz band will perform for parents and supporters before turning over the stage to four pros, the Joel Moore Quartet. The two bands also will perform together.

The professional jazz group has performed throughout the suburbs and city since 2005 at area universities and at events like Naperville Jazz Fest. Timothy Loest, Peacock's band director, first heard the quartet when he took students on a field trip to Andy's Jazz Club in Chicago in July 2007.

"In the back of my mind on that day, I thought it would be exciting if we could arrange a combined performance," Loest said.

Featuring Joel Moore on tenor sax, Phil Scherer on piano, Bob Ferraris on bass and Paul Townsend on drums, the quartet plays both original music and creative interpretations of jazz standards.

Saturday's concert will raise money for the Itasca Music Booster Association, which will use the proceeds for its music scholarship camp fund. Last year the group provided $150 summer camp scholarships to five students and this year it aims to raise $3,000 to send 20 band and choir students.

Loest said he organized the concert as a creative fundraiser that skips the usual routes of selling candy, wrapping paper or trinkets.

"We're always looking for ways to give the students real life experiences so that they're not just reading about music but living it," Loest said.

For details on the event, visit itascamusic.com. For details on the Joel Moore Quartet, visit joelmoorequartet.com. Supporters who are unable to attend but wish to contribute can send donations to: Itasca Music Booster Association, F.E. Peacock Middle School, 301 E. North St., Itasca, IL 60143.