Tim Ries, saxophonist for the Rolling Stones, will perform his interpretations of many of the Stones’ era-defining songs when he teams with the DePaul University Jazz Ensemble for a seven-show engagement Nov. 19 through Nov. 22 at Joe and Wayne Segal’s Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago.

“The DePaul Jazz Ensemble is one of the top ensembles in the United States,” Ries said. “They’re at a very high level. A lot of musicians have been guest artists with DePaul, and I’m lucky to be one of them.”

The shows will feature Ries’ renditions of such Stones’ classics as “Honky Tonk Woman,” “Paint It Black,” “Under My Thumb,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Ruby Tuesday,” and “Wild Horses.”  Ries will be out front, playing saxophone, while other members of the 18-piece ensemble will have featured solos.

Over the past 10 years, Ries has performed with the Rolling Stones as part of their three blockbuster world tours.  During his downtime on the road, Ries took many of the Stones’ greatest hits and radically reinterpreted them in traditional jazz and world genres. His collaborators included some of the biggest names in music, including Stones members, as well as Norah Jones, Sheryl Crow and others.

Ries’ arrangements of these and other Stones songs have been captured in two compact disc collections. “The Rolling Stones Project” features intimate jazz arrangements with Ries providing melody on saxophone, accompanied by small groups of musicians, including Stones members Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood as well as Bill Frisell, Jones and Crow, among others. “Stones World: The Rolling Stones Project II,” is an eclectic blend of world music sounds featuring 72 musicians on 11 tracks, capturing styles from South America, Africa, Europe, India and the Middle East. The Rolling Stones themselves also are featured on the recordings.

“I did what I’ve wanted to do for 20 years, to record in all the various countries where I was touring,” Ries said. “The Stones tours gave me that opportunity. I recorded in all these parts of the world. It was exhausting but so exhilarating.”

The result was a diverse mix of Stones covers that appeals to jazz purists, Stones’ fans and world music lovers alike, Ries said.

Ries discovered a demand for his arrangements from larger jazz ensembles, so he collaborated with arranger Matt Harris to re-orchestrate the songs for big bands. He has performed and recorded these arrangements with musicians in Holland and Denmark. He will turn these and subsequent performances with student and professional jazz ensembles throughout the world–including the DePaul Jazz Ensemble–into another CD, he said.

“You’re going to hear a mixture of relaxed sounds with really lush orchestrations that you’re not used to hearing in these tunes,” said Bob Lark, director of the DePaul Jazz Ensemble. “You will hear really nice colors from the brass. Much of the arrangements are going to be more subtle than what you would hear in a Rolling Stones concert. It’s just a different animal.”

Show times for the performances are 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and 4 p.m. on Sunday. Students with a valid university ID will be admitted for $5 during Thursday’s shows. Saturday’s performances will be recorded and videotaped.