University News

Fifth Annual Al Sears Jazz Festival September 13-17 in Macomb

August 7, 2006

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MACOMB, IL - - Swing, blues, bebop, scatÂ…and all that jazzÂ…will fill Macomb when the fifth annual Al Sears Jazz Festival hits town Wednesday-Sunday, Sept. 13-17.

The five-day festival will feature the finest local and regional talent along with internationally known performers. Concerts and gigs on Western Illinois University’s campus and in Macomb establishments and Chandler Park and an “Artists in Residence Day” at Western will precede the Al Sears Jazz Festival featured weekend, Sept. 16-17.

“From very modest beginnings, our fifth annual Al Sears Jazz Festival has grown into a truly exciting five-day event,” said Ann Collins, jazz pianist and member of the festival organizing committee. “Thanks to the hard work of many volunteers and the generosity of individual and corporate contributors, we can continue to present the Saturday Festival in Chandler Park open and free of charge to the public; so I hope to see many, many new faces at this year's event along with those who have been strong jazz supporters from the start.”

Western IllinoisÂ’ in-residence Hopper Jazztet will launch festival activities with a 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13 concert in WIUÂ’s College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Recital Hall.

An “Al” Star jam session is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14 in the Secret Garden, on Macomb’s West Side Square.

On Friday, Sept. 15 there will “Jazz in the Clubs” from 5-7 p.m. in Macomb, featuring Ann Collins (piano) and Vicki Mayo (vocal) at Chandler’s, B-Flat Avenue at Magnolia’s and TheVishnu Springs Trio at Sullivan-Taylor Coffee House.

Appearing in conjunction with the Al Sears Jazz Festival and kicking off Western’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs (BCA) season is legendary jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis, who will present a masterclass in the Friday, Sept. 15 “Artists in Residence” day at Western and perform with his trio for the BCA season’s inaugural concert at 7:30 p.m. in Western Hall. Tickets ($20 for adults, $17 for seniors 62 and older and $12 for youth 17 and younger) for the BCA concert will be available at the Browne Hall Hainline Theatre Box Office beginning Tuesday, Sept. 5 from noon-5 p.m. weekdays, telephone 309/298-2900.

Friday’s 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. “Artists in Residence” day at Western’s COFAC Recital Hall will include clinics, breakout sessions with Chris Collins, director of jazz studies at Wayne State University and a touring professional woodwind player; bassist Jim Ferguson; drummer Jim White; and Stefan Karlsson, a member of the internationally-touring Eddie Gomez Trio and Quartet; and rehearsals with the WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra. To register, $20 for the public and free for WIU students, call the University Bands office at 309/298-1505 between 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays. Registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 8.

Preceding SaturdayÂ’s (Sept. 16) Jazz Festival will be the Gazebo Art Festival, beginning at 9 a.m. in Chandler Park, and a classic jazz demonstration by the New Reformation Band at Chandler's Neighborhood Bar & Grill at 11 a.m.

The fifth annual Al Sears Jazz Festival begins at noon in Chandler Park with a lineup that includes:


  • Noon - Navy Band Great Lakes Jazz Ensemble

  • 1 p.m. - Sondra Mosley, vocalist/pianist

  • 1:30 p.m. - Bethany Worrell with Stuart Mindeman

  • 2 p.m. - The Semenya McCord Quartet

  • 3 p.m. - The Hopper Jazztet

  • 4 p.m. - Patrick Hazell, blues artist

  • 5 p.m. - The Holly Holmes Quartet

  • 6 p.m - The WIU Alumni Reunion Trio: Steve Kummer, piano; Ben Willis, bass; Frank Parker, drums

  • 7 p.m. - WIU Jazz Studio Orchestra with guest guitarist Chris Collins, tenor sax

  • 8 p.m. - Jim Ferguson Trio: Ferguson, vocals and bass; Stefan Karlsson, piano; Jim White, drums

  • 9 p.m. - The New Reformation Band

  • 10 p.m. - Sally Weisenburg & Her Famous Sidemen

The festival will close with a noon Sunday, Sept. 17 Jazz Brunch at ChandlerÂ’s, with music by the WIU Alumni Reunion Jazz Trio. Cost of the brunch is $9.95 plus tax; reservations are recommended, call 309/833-3000.

The Al Sears Jazz Festival was created and named to honor the American Jazz contributions of Macomb native Albert Omega Sears, a mostly self-taught tenor saxophonist who is remembered for his recorded solos while in the Duke Ellington Band and working with Lionel Hampton and Johnny Hodges. Sears made significant contributions to the rhythm and blues genre in the 1950s and contributed to the emergence of rock and roll.

Festival sponsors include the City of Macomb and Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Corporation; and Western Illinois UniversityÂ’s College of Fine Arts and Communication, Bureau of Cultural Affairs and Tri-States Public Radio.

For more information, including the complete schedule of events, visit www.searsjazzfestival.com.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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