The bands take turns performing for some of the greatest names in professional jazz today, who offer critiques and award a variety of honors. The professionals cap off each night of the Festival with a rousing performance of their own. For the college bands, the Festival offers a great opportunity to learn from some of today’s greatest jazz musicians. For the audience, it’s a chance to hear both college bands and jazz greats.

The current Elmhurst College Jazz Festival rose from the ashes of the American College Jazz Festival, which was established in 1968. The original festival took place at eight regional sites throughout the United States, one of which was Elmhurst College. Each regional festival produced a winning band, combo, and vocalist, who then performed at a national festival on Memorial Day weekend. The national festival disbanded in 1973, but the Elmhurst Festival continued—and grew, both in size and in stature. By 1992, the Festival had hosted so many jazz greats that its Silver Anniversary reunion of guest artists and judges included Louie Bellson, Pete Christlieb, Conte Candoli, Terry Gibbs, Frank Mantooth, Bobby Shew, Clark Terry, Denis DiBlasio, Lee Konitz, and Jiggs Whigham. The celebration made such a splash that it was featured on CBS-TV’s Sunday Morning News.

My connection to the Elmhurst University Jazz Festival began long before I joined the faculty in 1978. I attended the event in the late 1960’s as a high school student and was fortunate enough to hear many wonderful University bands as an audience member. In 1973 I performed at the festival as a member of Roger Schueler’s Millikin University Jazz Lab Band as part of a Friday night guest appearance. When I began directing the Elmhurst Band, my first festival performance was with the great Clark Terry in 1979. I became director of the Festival in 1994 and continued in that role through 2021. I remain deeply proud of my association with the event and continue to be a part of the production team.