Local band to celebrate International Jazz Day with benefit concert for Aurora food pantry

An Aurora band will celebrate International Jazz Day with a benefit concert.

The Matt Erion Dodeca band will play from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, at Kiss the Sky Records, 180 First St. in Batavia.

The public is invited. Admission is a non-perishable food donation for Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry in Aurora.

Erion, a Batavia resident, founded the band in 2016. He handles bass and vocals.

He debuted the band's annual Fat Tuesday concert at the former Fourth Street United Methodist Church in Aurora in 2017.

Erion said, "The opportunity for me to present jazz is a treasured opportunity for me. I have always felt the sound of jazz is about freedom, democracy and learning to bridge the gaps and find common ground between people and cultures."

In addition to Erion, band members are: Jeff Ford, Oswego, soprano saxophone; Roland Schuetz, Aurora, alto sax; Walt Howard, Sugar Grove, tenor sax; Randy Ream, Elburn, bari sax; Nate Pritt, South Elgin, lead trumpet; Mark Lathan, Bartlett, second trumpet; Keith Rogers, North Aurora, third trumpet; Tim Felts, Oswego, trombone; John Klatt, Aurora, tuba and trombone; Jim Abrahamson, Chicago, piano; and Andy Hix, Batavia, drums.