Valparaiso University Hosts 35th Annual Jazz Fest

Event Information

7:46am - 7:46am

March 3, 2020 – Valparaiso, Indiana – Valparaiso University will host the 2020 Jazz Fest March 30 – April 3 with an array of exciting performances, including local performers as well as the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Sueños Latin-Jazz Quintet.

Featured Jazz Fest Events:

  • Local high school bands — Monday, March 30, 5 p.m., Harre Union Ballroom. Admission is free and on a first-come, first-seated basis.
  • Local high school bands with a special performance by the Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble — Tuesday, March 31, 5 p.m., Harre Union Ballroom. Admission is free and on a first-come, first-seated basis.
  • The Jazz Festival Big Band Bash featuring the Valparaiso University Faculty Jazz Trio, the Northwest Indiana Jazz Educators Big Band, Midwest Big Band and Calumet Ridge Jazz Ensemble — Wednesday, April 1, 6 p.m., Harre Union Ballroom. Tickets cost $10 for the general public; $8 for seniors and Valparaiso University retirees and alumni; and are free to Valpo students, faculty and staff.
  • The Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble, directed by Jeffrey C. Brown, and special guests Bill Boris, guitar, and Pat Harbison, trumpet — Thursday, April 2, 7:30 p.m., Harre Union Ballroom. Tickets cost $10 for the general public; $8 for seniors and Valparaiso University retirees and alumni; and are free to Valpo students, faculty and staff.
  • The Jazz Festival Concert with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and opening act Sueños Latin-Jazz Quintet — Friday, April 3, 7:30 p.m., Harre Union Ballroom. Tickets cost $25 for the general public; $20 for seniors and Valpo retirees, alumni, faculty and staff; and $5 for Valpo students.

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band formed in 1977 to pioneer the modern New Orleans brass band movement. The band is recognized worldwide for genre-bending and high-octane performances. The band has been featured guests for Elvis Costello, Dr. John, Modest Mouse and many others.

Sueños Latin-Jazz Quintet is comprised of Chicago’s finest Latin-Jazz genre musicians, and is led by bassist Steven Hashimoto. They have been active in Chicago’s jazz scene for 10 years.

Bill Boris is a prolific jazz guitarist who performs throughout the Chicago area. He is associate chair of the music department and coordinator of guitar and bass studies at Columbia College Chicago and has directed the college’s Fusion Ensemble since 2006.

Pat Harbison is a professor of jazz studies at Indiana University. He has performed jazz trumpet for over four decades and on six continents.
The Calumet Ridge Jazz Ensemble is a growing group of jazz musicians that welcome post-high school professional and amateur musicians. The ensemble performs in Northwest Indiana.

The Midwest Big Band is a group of close friends, musicians and vocalists from Northwest Indiana and the South Chicago suburbs who share the same passion for big band jazz.

Tickets are available on the Harre Union website now and will be available in person at the Harre Union Welcome Desk beginning March 9.

VU Harre Union

Address:

  • 1509 Chapel Drive
  • Valparaiso, IN 46383

Valparaiso University

1509 Chapel Drive Suite LL60
Valparaiso, IN 46383
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