Each year the Chesterton High School Jazz Ensemble concludes their school year by presenting their annual Spring jazz concert entitled, “All That Jazz.”

This year’s concert marks the 35th year that noted professional musicians have been asked to perform as a guest artist for the event.

This year, the CHS jazz band is proud to welcome the Lou Marini Septet featuring Alto Saxophonist “Blue Lou Marini” as well as six other world class musicians guitarist Rick Hayden, pianist Ken Kehner, drummer Montez Coleman, trombonist Brett Stamps, trumpeter Andy Tichnor and bassist Jim Widner to the Chesterton High School auditorium stage.

Lou Marini attended the famed University of North Texas where he performed in the acclaimed One O’Clock Lab Band. He was one of the original musicians for the Saturday Night Live Band from 1976 through 1983. Lou was also the sax soloist for Billy Preston’s Band on “Nightlife” hosted by comedian David Brenner and he’s made many appearances on the David Letterman Show, the Grammy Award show, the Tony Awards show, and the Kennedy Center Honors, as well as countless TV specials such as Aretha Franklin’s duet special and most recently James Taylor’s Musicare’s Man of the Year Special.

Lou is perhaps best known for his performance with Aretha Franklin, John Bellushi and Dan Aykroyd in the original movie “The Blues Brothers” as well as his appearance in the Blues Brothers 2000.

Lou has also lent his playing and music writing talents to such films as The Ref, The Wiz, Bright Lights Big City, True Colors, Burning Red, Bye Bye Birdie, Turner and Hooch, Mixed Nuts, and many others. Lou has also played on thousands of recordings, jingles and albums and worked with a huge number of artists including: Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Tony Bennet, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Steely Dan, Aerosmith, Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, and Frank Zappa.

A great lover of big bands, Lou has played with the Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Doc Severinsen, and the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Bands. Lou performs regularly with his friend John Tropea in an all-star band with drummer Steve Gadd and Anthony Jackson. They’ve just recorded a new CD and will be touring Japan in the Spring.

Montez Coleman is a 32-year-old native of East St. Louis, IL. Said to be one of the most innovative percussionists to ever touch a drum, Montez has performed professionally both nationally and internationally in a multitude of musical, social, and cultural settings.

He has recorded and played with numerous renowned musicians including Rufus Reid, Bobby Watson, Wynton Marsalis, Bruce Barth, Russell Malone, Grady Tate, and Brad Leali. Currently Montez records and tours with the Roy Hargrove Quintet.

Rick Hayden is a Professor of Music at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville where he is head of the Guitar Program and manages the recording studio. He teaches advanced jazz improvisation, the rhythm section workshop, private jazz guitar, supervises the jazz combo system, and directs the jazz guitar ensemble.

Rick has been playing guitar for thirtyfour years and has studied with many of the masters of jazz guitar. Among these are: Johnny Smith, Howard Roberts, Pat Martino, and most recently Bucky Pizzarelli (7-string). Professor Hayden has been performing professionally for over thirty years and has played in a variety of situations. He has performed with Herb Ellis and Mundell Lowe, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Gene Bertoncini, and works regularly in the Jim Widner Big Band and at the Widner Summer Jazz Camps.

Ken Kehner holds a degree in Piano Performance from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, where he served as staff accompanist, and later joined the faculty as an adjunct jazz instructor. This is his third year teaching jazz piano at University of Missouri - St. Louis, where he also conducts two jazz combos.

He has appeared with such noted artists as Bill Watrous, Bobby Shew, Buddy DeFranco, Pete Christlieb, Louie Bellson, and Clark Terry. Ken is on the staff of the Jim Widner Summer Jazz Camp series and appears regularly with the Jim Widner Big Band.

Jim Widner, an alumnus of the Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, and Glenn Miller big bands, is celebrating his “20th” year of hosting summer camps all across the United States. As a bassist with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Jim was strongly influenced and motivated by Kenton’s dedication to young student musicians.

Jim has performed at the world famous Lionel Hampton and Montreaux Jazz Festivals. His performance background includes concert dates with Clark Terry, Buddy DeFranco, Mulgrew Miller, Louis Bellson, Randy Brecker, Bill Watrous, Marilyn Maye, and an appearance before former President Bill Clinton.

Currently Jim is Artist in Residence/Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri - St. Louis and is a Yamaha performing artist.

Brett Stamps has been the Director of Jazz Activities at SIUE since the formation of the Jazz Degree Program in 1982. He obtained his BA in Music from the College of William and Mary in 1970, MM in Studio Music and Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami in 1975, and is ABD in Music Theory from the University of Miami. He currently holds the rank of Professor of Music.

Brett has performed and composed professionally for the US Army Field Band's Jazz Ambassadors, the Stan Kenton Orchestra, the University of Miami Concert Jazz Band, and various ensembles in the St. Louis metropolitan area including the Cornet Chop Suey, the Fox Theater Orchestra, the MUNY Orchestra, Legacy, the Brett Stamps Trio, the St. Louis Rivermen, the Jim Widner Big Band, The Gary Dammer Big Band, and Galaxy.

Andy Tichenor is a very active freelance trumpet player in and around the St. Louis area, and has been for over seventeen years. He’s performed numerous times with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Pops, and at the Fox Theater for national Broadway tours (including Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Wicked, 42nd Street, Hairspray, Evita, Crazy for You, Chorus Line), Andy is currently lead trumpet with the Muny Theater Orchestra during the summer, and for the last eight seasons he has also been the Principal Pops trumpet with the Illinois Symphony Orchestra. Some of the stars he has performed with include Doc Severinsen, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The O’ Jay’s, Linda Ronstadt, Bernadette Peters, Ann Hampton Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Joel Grey, Hal Linden, Barry Manilow, Rosemary Clooney, Lou Rawls, Johnny Mathis, as well as many others. He has toured Japan, Canada, and the U.S. as lead trumpet with The Glenn Miller Orchestra, performed in England as a soloist with the Battle Creek Brass Band, and has played on two tours with the Jim Widner Big Band.

Most recently, Andy has been playing lead trumpet with the newly formed St. Louis Jazz Orchestra, and recorded three tracks for the next Jim Widner Big Band CD, due out in 2007. He can also be heard on his own CD, ‘Family Reunion’ playing with the Tichenor Family Five, an all ragtime and traditional jazz ensemble.

All That Jazz Opus XXXV will include the Chesterton High School Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Michael Scheiber as well as the Chesterton Middle School Jazz Band under the direction of Vincent Arizzi.

Tickets are available at the Main Office at Chesterton High School or through the CHS Music Dept. The concert will take place in the CHS auditorium on Saturday, May 17 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 for adults, and $8.00 for Students and Seniors. For additional information, contact the CHS Music Office at 983-3730.

Posted 5/15/2008