NIU Jazz Orchestra to preview their Lincoln Center set at concert Nov. 17

The Northern Illinois University Jazz Orchestra will be heading to New York City in January to compete in the third annual Rudin Jazz Championship at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and you can get a preview of that performance at their concert Thursday, November 17 at 7 p.m. in Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Music Building on the NIU campus in DeKalb.

The Jazz Orchestra is one of only ten college jazz orchestras from around the nation to be invited to compete, and they received that invitation directly from Wynton Marsalis, world-famous musician and managing and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center.

The NIU Jazz Orchestra is directed by Reggie Thomas, Professor of Music and Head of Jazz Studies.

The November 17 set includes works by Freddie Green, Luis Hernandez, Juan Tizol, Lil Hardin Armstrong and Don Raye, Matt Harris, Joey DeFrancesco, Jacob Mann and Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington. Guest artists include Jason Swagler, Director of Jazz Studies at SIU-Edwardsville on saxophone and Liam Teague, NIU Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor and Head of Steelpan Studies on steelpan.

Tickets may be purchased online, and are $5 for adults, $3 for non-NIU students and NIU students may attend free of charge. The concert will also be live streamed at go.niu.edu/music-live.

Program

Corner Pocket (Until I Met You)	Freddie Green arr. Ernie Wilkins
Dialed In	Luis Hernandez arr. Vince Norman
Perdido	Juan Tizol arr. Gerald Wilson
Struttin’ With Some Barbeque	Lil Hardin Armstrong/Don Raye arr. Mike Tomaro
Calypsoscope	Matt Harris
Vibrations in Blue	Joey DeFrancesco arr. John Beasley
Baby Carrots	Jacob Mann
Happy Go Lucky Local	Edward Kennedy Ellington