Elmhurst College Jazz Festival takes place this weekend

The Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, one of the country’s oldest collegiate jazz festivals, is drawing top professional performers and the nation’s leading college bands to the campus this weekend. Celebrating its 46th year, the festival runs through Sunday, Feb. 24.

Featured performers include the Dave Douglas Quintet and the Maria Schneider Orchestra, plus Denis DiBlasio, Bobby Floyd, Dennis Mackrel and Byron Stripling with the Elmhurst College Jazz Band.

The festival opened Thursday with the second annual Elmhurst College High School Invitational. College ensembles perform 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, as well as during the evening concerts. The evening session at 7:30 p.m. Friday begins with performances by college ensembles and concludes with a performance by the Dave Douglas Quintet.

Saturday evening performances start at 7:30 p.m. and conclude with a feature performance by the Maria Schneider Orchestra. The Sunday session begins at 11:30 a.m. and concludes with a performance by Bobby Floyd, Dennis Mackrel and Byron Stripling with the Elmhurst College Jazz Band.

Performances are in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel on campus, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst. For information or to order tickets, call the Elmhurst College Music Department at (630) 617-5534 or visit elmhurst.edu/jazzfest.