Band’s Season Includes Midwest Clinic, Jazz Showcase and European Performances

Following in the footsteps of Chicago’s great jazz musicians both past and present, the DePaul Jazz Ensemble has established its own reputation as one of the finest collegiate bands in the country. This 17-member group has developed a sound all its own and a loyal and enthusiastic following throughout the metropolitan area and beyond. In recent years, the band has been invited to perform and record with top jazz artists including Bobby Shew, Bob Brookmeyer, Tom Harrell, Louie Bellson, Clark Terry and Phil Woods. The group’s most recent recording with saxophonist Woods was taped last spring and will be released early next year.

The band will enjoy a busy and varied performance schedule this season with appearances at the Jazz Showcase, the Midwest Clinic and at other workshops and concerts in the Chicago-area, as well as a first-ever booking in Europe.

The DePaul Jazz Ensemble will present an afternoon concert at 3 p.m. Dec. 17 at the 2004 Midwest Clinic, an international band and orchestra conference at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave. The Jazz Ensemble will partner with Woods in a program of contemporary jazz classics, including a piece by pianist-composer Jim McNeely, with many works performed in arrangements written by students and faculty. According to Bob Lark, bandleader and jazz studies chair at DePaul, the invitation to perform is a great honor. Only two university jazz groups have appeared at this conference, which hosts more than 14,000 participants. For tickets, please call the Midwest Clinic at the hotel, (312) 922-4400.

This winter, the DePaul Jazz Ensemble also will offer several concerts and workshops at area high schools. The band will perform at Hersey High School, 1900 E. Thomas St., Arlington Heights, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 23. The event is open to the public, as is a featured concert by the ensemble at the Fox Valley Jazz Festival, to be performed at 11:15 a.m. Dec. 1 at Crystal Lake Central High School, 45 W. Franklin Ave. in Crystal Lake.

On Feb. 18, the ensemble will offer an afternoon workshop and evening concert at Downers Grove South High School, 1436 Norfolk Ave. Five area high schools will participate. The following day, Feb. 19, the Jazz Ensemble will repeat the same workshop-concert format at Badger High School in Lake Geneva, Wisc.

Jazz enthusiasts should mark their calendars for the DePaul Jazz Ensemble’s twice–nightly shows May 12 - 15 with legendary trombonist Slide Hampton at the Jazz Showcase, 59 W. Grand Ave. For ticket information, call the Jazz Showcase at (312) 670-2473.

In the summer of 2005, the Jazz Ensemble will perform in Europe for the first time. A week-long tour to Italy, slated for July 10 -17, includes a series of outdoor festival appearances in Rome and throughout the neighboring Abruzzi region. These appearances—which are by invitation—attest to the Jazz Ensemble’s increasing international reputation which, in turn, reflects the high quality of performance programs at DePaul’s School of Music.

Also of note, band leader Lark is receiving kudos of his own. He recently was nominated by his peers to conduct the All-State High School Honors Jazz Ensemble at the annual conference of the Illinois Music Educators Association to be held in January of 2005 in Peoria, Ill.

For more information about the DePaul Jazz Ensemble, call DePaul’s School of Music: (773) 325-7260.