Manhattan Transfer to perform with Elmhurst College Jazz Band

The Grammy Award-winning vocal group Manhattan Transfer will headline next month's "June Jazz: A Summer Extravaganza."

The group will perform with the acclaimed Elmhurst College Jazz Band in the concert beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 13, on the Elmhurst College mall, 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst.

Guests to this free outdoor concert are encouraged to arrive early, bring lawn chairs, blankets, picnics and drinks, and enjoy the celebration of summer and the arts. Food and beverages also will be for sale. Families are welcome.

The Manhattan Transfer is known around the world for its jazz, boogie-woogie and pop styles. In 1981, the group became the first to win Grammy Awards in both the pop and jazz categories in the same yea, for "Boy from New York City" and "Until I Met You (Corner Pocket)."

In 1982 and 1983, the group won consecutive Grammy Awards for "Route 66" and "Why Not!" In 1985 the group received 12 Grammy nominations for the album "Vocalese," and closed out the decade by completing a 10-year sweep (1980-1990) as the Best Vocal Group in the annual DownBeat and Playboy jazz polls.

The Elmhurst College Jazz Band has gained international acclaim as an outstanding collegiate jazz ensemble. Under the direction of Grammy Award-winning Doug Beach, the band has received outstanding ratings at jazz festivals from many jazz greats.

The band has toured 17 nations and twice has been honored with invitations from the U.S. State Department to tour Europe.

Last spring DownBeat magazine, the world's most respected jazz magazine, named the Elmhurst College Jazz Band the Best Large Jazz Ensemble in its 37th annual DownBeat Student Music Awards. Downbeat recently named Beach the recipient of the magazine's Jazz Education Achievement Award.

For information on the June Jazz event, contact (630) 617-3390 or elmhurst.edu/calendar.