Lake Zurich High School Jazz Ensemble to open for Jazz Consortium Big Band
The Lake Zurich High School Jazz Ensemble will be making a return appearance opening for the Jazz Consortium Big Band Sunday, April 12, at Durty Nellie's Pub, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine.
Directed by Josh Thompson, the band will play at 6 p.m., immediately followed by the Jazz Consortium, which plays until 9 p.m. All ages are welcome, and there is food service throughout the evening. Cover charge starts at 6:30 p.m.: $10 for adults and $5 for students 17 and younger. Reservations are suggested; call (847) 358-9150, ext. 0. Visit www.durtynellies.com.
"This is the fourth year of us featuring a local high school jazz band before our regular monthly show, and the response has been great," said Roy Vombrack, Jazz Consortium bandleader/saxophonist.
"Our audiences get to hear the next generation of jazz musicians, many of which are scary good. It's a restaurant-style environment, so the students, their families and friends get to experience their performance on a professional stage for the general public outside of school.
"The kids are excited to play, and we get inspired by their enthusiasm and talent," Vombrack added.
The 17-member Jazz Consortium Big Band performance is always open to all ages and features Big Band sounds from the Swing era to modern-day Big Band selections.
Well into its fourth year of monthly shows at Durty Nellie's Pub, the Jazz Consortium's brassy mix of four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes and a rhythm section first came together in the mid-1970s.
Consisting of former University of Illinois, Northern Illinois University and Northwestern University musicians with a love of Big Band music, the group went on to perform at jazz clubs, nightspots and concerts throughout Chicagoland, including an appearance at the Chicago Jazz Festival.
The Jazz Consortium disbanded in the early 1980s, with most of the members going on to full-time music careers. The band reunited five years ago, and it has since been performing second Sundays monthly at Durty Nellie's, as well as playing numerous concerts and clubs throughout the area.
The Jazz Consortium Big Band's upcoming schedule can be found at www.jcbigband.com.