University News

BCA Presents Al Sears Jazz Festival and Headline Act: Al Chez & The Brothers of Funk

August 31, 2015

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MACOMB, IL – The Macomb Chamber of Commerce and Western Illinois University's BCA present the 14th annual Al Sears Jazz Festival Friday-Sunday, Sept. 18-20.

This year's festival kicks off at the Western Illinois Museum at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept.18, with "Journey to Jazz," featuring Semenya McCord and Frank Wilkins.

Friday evening's entertainment will be "Jazz in the Club" at the Macomb Country Club. This event will feature Michael Stryker, an associate professor of jazz piano in the School of Music, as well as the Sally Weisenburg Trio.

Weisenburg's music includes blues, soul, jazz, country, standards, rock, Latin, surf--music from any and all categories. The trio will spotlight keyboards, keyboard bass, guitar, steel guitar and drums.

The festival continues all day Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. with "Jazz in the Park" at Chandler Park, or The Outskirts if there is rain.

Artists in the park will include the Semenya McCord Quartet, the Brazilionaires, Billy Rogers and Dixie Daredevils and the WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra with Guest Artist Andy Baker.

The Jazz Studio Orchestra, directed by Director of Jazz Studies John Cooper, is the top performing large jazz ensemble at Western Illinois University. The group performs a wide range of music, including contemporary jazz by composers such as Jim McNeely, Chuck Owen, Maria Schneider and many others.

Headliners Al Chez & The Brothers of Funk will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the WIU Hainline Theatre.

Al Chez is well known for playing over 25 years on Late Night and The Late Show with David Letterman, appearing on both NBC and CBS.

Tickets for Al Chez & The Brothers of Funk are $15 for the public and free to WIU students.

Tickets may be purchased at the Western Illinois University Hainline Theatre Box Office or online at wiu.edu/cofac/bca/tickets.php.

The Festival concludes Sunday with a "New Orleans-style brunch" at the American Legion Hall in Macomb. The brunch will feature live jazz by Billy Rogers and Dixie Daredevils.

Proceeds from the brunch will benefit both the Al Sears Jazz Festival and the local American Legion.

BCA brings the best in arts and entertainment to WIU and the surrounding communities.

For a complete schedule and details about the Al Sears Jazz Festival, visit searsjazzfestival.com

For more information about BCA's upcoming events or to purchase tickets, visit BCAbringstheStars.com.

Posted By: Caitlin Meyers (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing