Photo courtesy Knox College Website
For our annual Student Appreciation Night, CIJS presents Knox Jazz Ensemble with very special guest Galesburg High School Jazz Band: two highly respected student groups out of the active jazz community of Galesburg, Illinois, where both perform regularly at venues such as Galesburg Community Arts Center and the renowned Rootabaga Jazz Festival.
6pm: Galesburg High School Jazz Band
Andy Empey, Director of Bands and District Fine Arts Coordinator
7:15pm: Knox Jazz Ensemble
Justin Haynes, Director, Knox College Jazz Ensemble
Andrew Crawford, Managing Director, Jazz and Instrumental Programs
Thanks to Mary & Dick Barthel for sponsoring our annual Student Appreciation Night.
Photo courtesy Knox College Website
The award winning Knox Jazz Ensemble, directed by Justin Haynes ('04), is extremely active. In early January the group hosts the Jerome Mirza Jazz Residency, a week-long immersive experience with some of the leading jazz musicians of today, including Miguel Zenon, Maria Schneider, Marquis Hill and Ben Allison.
In Galesburg, the group plays frequently, often hosting other area big bands for evenings at the Galesburg Community Arts Center. These include bands such as the Galesburg High School and Bradley University's big band. The group competes successfully every winter in collegiate jazz festivals, usually competing with schools many times the size of Knox. In addition, the Knox Jazz Ensemble goes on international tours every four years, most recently to Beijing and Xian, China.
In the spring, the band hosts the annual five-day Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival (named after Galesburg native Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories), with performances at both the Galesburg Community Arts Center and Galesburg's restored Orpheum Theater. Visit Knox Jazz Year to learn more.
The Knox Jazz Ensemble is a close-knit group on campus, with many participants in the band living in “The Jazz House,” a permanent theme house on campus. The Knox Jazz Ensemble meets three times a week and its membership is audition-based. About half of the group's members at any given time are music majors, but it is not a necessary requirement to audition. Auditions are held at the beginning of each school year.
The band has four CDs: No Excuses and Assorted Pre-Concert Rituals, Mr. B-Natural, A Dedication, and their 2019 Cherry Street Combo release Patchwork.
Galesburg HS Jazz Band 6pm
Knox Jazz Ensemble at 7:15pm
Concerts are held at Trailside Event Center
4416 N Prospect (above Trefzger’s)
Third Sunday of the month (unless otherwise noted)
Members $8
Non-members $12
Students Free