Chicago Heights, IL–(ENEWSPF)– The south suburbs premier jazz concert featuring some of the nation’s top jazz artists returns to Prairie State College (PSC).
The 22nd annual Jazz Fest will be held on Friday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m., in the PSC auditorium. The college is located at 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights. General admission is $12; students and senior citizens tickets are $8. Tickets are available in advance in the PSC Business Office. Hours for the Business Office are Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets also are available at the door.
The concert will showcase the talents of Chicago trumpeter Orbert Davis and New Orleans saxophonist Ed Petersen as well as Larry Gray on bass, PSC’s own professor of music Valerie Nicholson on piano, and Dana Hall on drums. Hall was recently recognized by the Chicago Tribune as one of the Top Chicagoans of the Year for his achievements in arts and culture, the only professional musician selected for this honor.
To honor a long time supporter of the Jazz Festival and music education, the inaugural Howard Luckey Excellence in Jazz Leadership Award will be bestowed on a person in the community with the same spirit and dedication as Luckey. Luckey was a long time social science faculty member who recently passed away.
“Howard was a true arts patron; he understood the importance of the arts in people’s lives and the impact they have on intellectual, creative, and emotional growth,” said Nicholson. “This award is meant to give recognition to a person or group of people who have provided extensive and consistent support of jazz in our region through teaching, performing, or organizing in a spirit of humility and community-mindedness that Howard demonstrated.”
The PSC Jazz Festival also brings together local junior high and high school jazz musicians for two days of instrumental clinics led by the featured artists. The clinicians offer the students their expertise and instruction in technique and performance.
Those who attend the evening concert can also enjoy the current Christopher Art Gallery exhibit, “We the People Who Are Blacker than Blue.” The gallery will be open before the concert through intermission.
For more information on the Jazz Festival, or to purchase tickets to Friday’s concert, call the College at (708) 709-3500.
