Jazz Band

The Elmhurst University Jazz Band has earned worldwide acclaim.

In June of 2014, the Downbeat Magazine Student Music Awards named the Elmhurst University Jazz Band the Undergraduate College winner in the large jazz ensemble category.

The band has performed in Greece, Romania, England, Croatia, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Indonesia, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Serbia, Canada and the Bahamas. It has twice toured Europe at the invitation of the U.S. State Department. It has appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Northsea Jazz Festival, the Umbria Jazz Festival and others. In 1997, the band was the only college jazz ensemble invited to perform at the Jak Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Closer to home, the Jazz band has performed at festivals across the United States, received outstanding ratings from jazz greats Clark Terry, Lee Konitz, Rob McConnell, Nicholas Payton, Randy Brecker and Bob Brookmeyer among others. In 2001, the band accompanied Dee Dee Bridgewater at the Chicago Jazz Festival in Grant Park.

The band regularly appears with some of the top musicians in professional jazz. Recent guest artists have included Bobby Shew, the Yellowjackets, Patti Austin, John Pizzarelli, Nnenna Freelon, Denis DiBlasio, Michael Davis, Tom Scott, Bill Watrous, Patrick Williams and Doc Severinson.

We invite you to learn more about the Elmhurst University Jazz Band. Buy an album, check out an upcoming performance or support our efforts with a gift. We look forward to hearing from you!

Following the 43-year tenure of legendary jazz educator Doug Beach, the Jazz Band is now lead by longtime faculty member Kirk Garrison.