Chicago Jazz Orchestra Starring Allan Harris Comes to the MAC

The acclaimed Chicago Jazz Orchestra (CJO) starring Allan Harris bring an the music of Nat King Cole and other pop/jazz favorites to the McAninch Arts Center Saturday, Oct. 8 at 8 p.m. A free MAC chat will take place at 7 p.m.

Known for its unique performances and one-of-a-kind collaborations, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, a 17-piece ensemble led by artistic director Jeff Lindberg, has received local and national acclaim for more than 35 years and is considered one of the Windy City's cultural crown jewels, celebrating the unique American Art form of jazz orchestra music. Allan Harris has been hailed by Tony Bennett as his "favorite voice." Previous collaborations between CJO and Harris have included the 2014 Kennedy Center Honors program, showcasing works by Nat King Cole and the 2013 "A Tribute to Ray Charles" concert at Naperville's Wentz Concert Hall.

CJO is Chicago's oldest professional jazz orchestra in continuous operation and one of the oldest jazz repertory orchestras in the country. When Jeff Lindberg and the late Steve Jensen first came up with their big band concept in 1978 (founded as the Jazz Members Big Band), they could not have predicted the remarkable metamorphosis that turned a group of first-call musicians into what is now known as the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, a 17-piece premiere jazz ensemble that has garnered both national and international recognition. CJO has served as the resident orchestra for the Kennedy Center Honors Supper Dance for more than 25 years. Conductor and Artistic Director Jeff Lindberg is one of the foremost transcribers in jazz. As a result, the Orchestra's repertoire draws upon his vast library, which includes the works of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Benny Carter, Oliver Nelson, Ray Charles, and many others. The CJO also performs compositions and arrangements by members of the CJO, including Associate Artistic Director Charles Harrison. Chicago Tribune has described the CJO as "sublimely controlled...one of the best big bands in the country." And the Chicago Sun-Times hails the orchestra as "a chance to hear how skillfully blended instrumental voices can set a room humming."

Over the past 20 years, Allan Harris has steadily developed his reputation as one of the finest vocalists of his era. Brooklyn-born and Harlem-based, he has forged his sterling credentials through his10 previous albums, covering a broad range of contexts, all netted together within the rich territory of the jazz tradition. In addition to his recordings, he has performed on a worldwide stage that has taken him to prestigious international festivals and halls in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the 2012 Olympics in London. At home, he has toured nationally at festivals and top venues, including New York's Lincoln Center and D.C.'s Kennedy Center. He has received numerous awards, including the New York Nightlife Award for "Outstanding Jazz Vocalist" (which he won three times), the Backstage Bistro Award for "Ongoing Achievement in Jazz," the Harlem Speaks "Jazz Museum of Harlem Award," and the DownBeat Critic's Poll Award for "Rising Star Vocalist."

Tickets:

McAninch Arts Center (MAC) located at 425 Fawell Blvd. on the College of DuPage campus presents Chicago Jazz Orchestra starring Allan Harris, Saturday, Oct. 8, 8 p.m. Tickets are $39-$49. For an additional $30, patrons can purchase the MAC's VIP Experience which includes a private, pre-show hors d'oeuvres wine, beer and champagne reception followed by coffee and dessert at intermission. For tickets or more information visit AtTheMAC.org or call630.942.4000. Media support for this concert has been provided by 90.9FM, WDCB, Public Radio from College of DuPage.

About the MAC

McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at College of DuPage is located 25 miles west of Chicago near I-88 and I-355, and houses three performance spaces (the 780-seat proscenium Belushi Performance Hall; the 236-seat soft-thrust Playhouse Theatre; and the versatile black box Studio Theatre), plus the Cleve Carney Art Gallery, classrooms for the college's academic programming and the Lakeside Pavilion. The MAC, now celebrating its 30th Anniversary, has presented theater, music, dance and visual art to more than 1.5 million people since its opening in 1986 and typically welcomes more than 75,000 patrons from the greater Chicago area to more than 230 performances each season.

The mission of the MAC is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community. For more information about the MAC, visit AtTheMAC.org, facebook.com/AtTheMAC or twitter.com/AtTheMAC.

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