Each February, the best college jazz bands in the country converge on the Elmhurst campus for three days of performances and education. The bands take turns performing for some of the greatest names in professional jazz today, who offer critiques and award a variety of honors. The professionals cap off each night of the Festival with a rousing performance of their own.
For the college bands, the Festival offers a great opportunity to learn from some of today’s greatest jazz musicians. For the ... view more »
Each February, the best college jazz bands in the country converge on the Elmhurst campus for three days of performances and education. The bands take turns performing for some of the greatest names in professional jazz today, who offer critiques and award a variety of honors. The professionals cap off each night of the Festival with a rousing performance of their own.
For the college bands, the Festival offers a great opportunity to learn from some of today’s greatest jazz musicians. For the audience, it’s a chance to hear both college bands and jazz greats.
The current Elmhurst College Jazz Festival rose from the ashes of the American College Jazz Festival, which was established in 1968.
The original festival took place at eight regional sites throughout the United States, one of which was Elmhurst College. Each regional festival produced a winning band, combo and vocalist, who then performed at a national festival on Memorial Day weekend.
The national festival disbanded in 1973, but the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival continued and grew, both in size and in stature. By 1992, the Festival had hosted so many jazz greats that its Silver Anniversary Reunion of guest artists and judges included Louie Bellson, Pete Christlieb, Conte Candoli, Terry Gibbs, Frank Mantooth, Bobby Shew, Clark Terry, Denis DiBlasio, Lee Konitz and Jiggs Whigham. The celebration made such a splash that it was featured on CBS-TV’s Sunday Morning News.
Schedule:
Thursday, February 21, 2019
12:30 p.m.
- High School Invitational
- High school ensembles
- Feature performance (at approximately 4:30 p.m.) by Randy Brecker, Bill Evans and Mike Stern with the Elmhurst College Jazz Band
Friday, February 22
11:30 a.m.
- Kent State University – Vocal Jazz
- North Park University – Big Band
- College of DuPage – Big Band
- Columbia College – Chicago Big Band
- North Park University – Combo
- Columbia College Chicago – Comb
- University of Wisconsin, Whitewater – Big Band #2
- Mineral Area College – Big Band
7:30 p.m.
- Kent State University – Big Band
- Millikin University – Big Band
- Mike Davis and the Hip-Bone Big Band
Saturday, February 23
9:30 a.m.
- Free Clinic with Randy Brecker, Bill Evans and Mike Stern
11:30 a.m.
- University of Illinois, Chicago – Vocal Jazz
- Purdue University, Fort Wayne – Big Band
- University of Wisconsin, Whitewater – Big Band #1
- Hillsdale College – Big Band
- University of Illinois, Chicago – Big Band
- University of Arkansas, Monticello – Big Band
- Ohio State University – Big Band
Winona State University – Big Band
7:30 p.m.
- Western Michigan University – Big Band
- Elmhurst College – Big Band
- John Fedchock New York Big Band
Sunday, February 24
11:30 a.m.
- Elmhurst College – Vocal Jazz
- Joliet Junior College – Big Band
- Central Michigan University – Big Band
- Roosevelt University – Big Band
- Elmhurst College – Combo
- Purdue University, Fort Wayne – Combo
- Elmhurst College – Lab Band
- Purdue University – Big Band
- The Elmhurst College Jazz Band in concert with our Festival artists and adjudicators: Randy Brecker, Bill Evans, and Mike Stern
View less