The Eastern Illinois University Jazz Ensemble will present a wide variety of jazz in its Dec. 10 concert, which will feature many excellent student soloists as well as a faculty trumpeter.
The concert is to begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Doudna Fine Arts Center's Theatre.
Among the selections are fresh arrangements of well-known standards, including Duke Ellington’s "It Don't Mean a Thing"; a very contemporary piece titled "Among the Pyramids"; a beautiful arrangement of "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"; and many other traditional and contemporary pieces for big band.
New Assistant Professor of Trumpet Andrew Cheetham will be featured on an arrangement of the jazz classic "All the Things You Are" that was originally written for trumpet great Bobby Shew.
The EIU Jazz Ensemble is directed by Sam Fagaly. The group has received numerous awards, including Outstanding Ensemble and Solo Performance citations at the Notre Dame and Elmhurst College jazz festivals, as well as Downbeat magazine's prestigious "DB" award.
The band recently released a CD titled "Three O’Clock Downbeat," which will be available for purchase at the concert. The group has been featured at many conferences and festivals, including the Illinois Music Educators Association conference and the International Association for Jazz Educators convention.
Each year, the EIU Jazz Ensemble performs with special guest artists, which have included legendary figures such as Mel Torme, Dizzy Gillespie, Diane Schuur and Joe Williams.
Tickets -- $5 for the general public, and $3 for EIU employees, senior citizens and students -- may be purchased in person at the Doudna Fine Arts Center Box Office, by telephone at 217-581-3110, or online at http://www.eiu.edu/doudna.
The Doudna Fine Arts Center is a division of the EIU College of Arts and Humanities.
Booth House
Eastern Illinois University
600 Lincoln Ave.
Charleston, IL 61920
217-581-7400
jdreinhart@eiu.edu