THE WDR Big Band from Cologne, Germany, will headline the 58th annual Elmhurst University Jazz Festival, which begins Thursday, Feb. 20, starting with performances by eight area high school bands.
For fans of jazz, the Elmhurst University Jazz Festival will be featuring talented musicians from high school-age to professional musicians starting Thursday, Feb. 20, and ending Sunday, Feb. 23.
Headlining the festival this year is Germany’s WDR (West Deutscher Rundfunk) Band, which festival Director Christopher Parsons said is one of Germany’s “radio” bands—that one would hear on the radio.
“Over time it’s evolved to be a state big band,” he continued, adding the band members are employed by Cologne and noting that “This is their full-time job.”
The WDR Big Band, he said, performs with guest musicians and singers, such as Kurt Elling; as well as “featuring their own musicians and bringing in guest composers and arrangers.”
The WDR Big Band director will be Chief Conductor Bob Mintzer—a well-known saxophonist, arranger and educator—who lives in Los Angeles and travels to Germany. He is a member of the Yellowjackets, who will also be performing during the event.
Among the lineup are guitarist Dave Stryker, who will perform with the WDR Big Band, drummer Danny Gottlieb, trombonist Ryan Keberle and saxophonist Sharel Cassity.
When asked how the particular performers are chosen to participate, Parsons said that the idea is consider “what would fit with the [featured] band. You try to take that into consideration.”
On Thursday, Feb. 20, starting at 9:30 a.m. the festival will kick off with the High School Invitational, with the support from the Sylvia and William W. Gretsch Memorial Foundation. Parsons said eight high schools will be participating, and “The guest artists will watch the bands perform.”
The day’s event will conclude with Gottlieb, Keberle and Cassity performing with the Elmhurst University Jazz Band at around noon.
On Friday, Feb. 21, starting at 11:30 a.m., seven college and university bands will perform, as well as the U-W Whitewater Jazz Enemble I and WDR Big Band at 7:30 p.m. Performing with WDR will be the Grammy-winning Yellowjackets, which has been described in an Elmhurst University release as a “fusion band that has been performing and recording for more than 40 years.”
Parsons said the guest musicians will also go up on stage and talk with the bands after their performances.
On Saturday, Feb. 22, Gottlieb, Keberle and Cassity will hold a clinic and master class at 9:30 a.m., which is open to the public, Parsons noted.
There will also be six college/university performances starting at 11:30 a.m., and starting at 7:30 p.m. there will be a concert featuring Cassity, Gottlieb and Keberle with the university’s jazz band, as well as the WDR Big Band and Stryker.
On Sunday, Feb. 23, the festival will conclude at 11:30 a.m. with six college and university performances, along with a performance at around 4:15 p.m. by the WDR Big Band, conducted by Mintzer.
“The main point of our festival is education first,” Parsons emphasized, saying that the professional musicians will not only be performing but will be offering critiques to their younger counterparts.
And, he added, the jazz festival “is entirely a student-run festival,” with students handling tickets, merchandise, serving as guest artist hosts, assisting with security and helping with sound and stage set-up.
“This is impossible without them,” Parsons pointed out.
“There are many layers of experience levels among the students,” Parsons said, and he is speaking from experience.
While this is his third year as festival director, Parsons, a guitarist, said he has been involved with the jazz festival for 20 years—also on the other side of the music stand.
In fact, Parsons commented, “This festival changed my life.”
As for what music students get out of the experience, he added, “I’m honored to be able to promote that kind of environment for them.”
The Elmhurst University Jazz Festival is now in its 58th year and according to the university, is “one of the oldest and best-known collegiate festivals in the country.”
The festival will be held in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel, at 190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst (Elmhurst.edu/campusmap) and via livestream, and is open to the public.
For more information, and for tickets, visit Elmhurst.edu/JazzFestival.