Jazz in the Chi

Regional Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Festival

The Jazz Institute of Chicago is excited to announce for the 4th Annual Jazz in the Chi Regional Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Festival with the internationally recognized and acclaimed Essentially Ellington program being held on February 18, 2023 at Whitney Young High School.

The Jazz in the Chi Regional Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Festival, in partnership with Chicago Public Schools Department of Arts Education, features a jazz-filled schedule of:

  • Jazz band performances

  • Post-performance clinics

  • Band directors’ luncheon with Essentially Ellington clinicians

  • Concert with special guest artists

  • Vendor fair

  • Jam sessions

  • Awards ceremony at the end of the day

  • A great day of jazz and networking for band directors and students alike!

OUTSTANDING BANDS AT JAZZ IN THE CHI ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE SELECTED TO PERFORM AT THE CHICAGO JAZZ FESTIVAL LATER IN THE YEAR ON LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

The Jazz in the Chi Regional Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Festival is a non-competitive regional festival that offers an opportunity for big bands to perform Ellington’s music and receive professional feedback from Jazz at Lincoln Center clinicians and other jazz professionals. Participating big bands must play at least one of the 150+ tunes from the Essentially Ellington library and will receive a post-performance clinic with written feedback from the Essentially Ellington clinicians. Awards for outstanding soloists and sections will be announced at the end of the day! 

All high school big bands will be required to join Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington Program (EE). By joining this FREE program, you will receive: original transcriptions of the music of Duke Ellington along with other acclaimed arrangers/composers. In addition, EE members receive teaching guides, access to original recordings of the charts, and to interactive rehearsal videos of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra playing this year’s music.

Jazz in the Chi is open for elementary/middle school jazz bands and high school jazz combos. These groups are not eligible to participate in Essentially Ellington but will receive a post-performance clinic from a panel of professional adjudicators, and are invited to take part in all other events occurring throughout the day.

The Jazz Institute of Chicago is very pleased to provide you this opportunity and looks forward to your registering to join us!