$20-25. Click HERE for tickets.

John Kornegay, alto sax
Bill Overton, tenor sax
Peter Brusen, baritone sax
Doug Scharf, trumpet
Russ Phillips, trombone
Bob Sutter, piano
Jason Ellis, acoustic bass
Darren Scorza, drums
Special Guest: Dee Alexander, vocal

The Metropolitan Jazz Octet (MJO) is the reincarnation of a group  that was created in the 1950’s by saxophonist/arranger Tom Hilliard, who wrote many of the arrangements for this group.  The original group, led by Hilliard, recorded an album in 1959 called “The Legend of Bix”, a tribute to the artistry of cornetist/composer Bix Beiderbecke. As a professor at DePaul University School of Music in the 1970’s, Hilliard led the jazz band and taught a jazz arranging course. Several of the current MJO musicians were students of Hilliard’s at De Paul. When Hilliard’s health started to decline, he left the MJO library to his former student Jim Gailloreto.  

In 2014, Gailloreto organized a group of musicians to read through these arrangements over a series of rehearsals at Andy’s Music, on the northwest side. The group played a concert at Roosevelt University School of Music featuring the music from Tom Hilliard’s album “The Legend of Bix”, as well as several private functions. Over time, the group has added a number of new compositions and arrangements  to their repertoire, written by Jim Gailloreto, Doug Scharf, John Kornegay and by their friend, Andy Cohn. 

The group has invited acclaimed vocalist Dee Alexander to share the stage with them at Studio5,  and will be premiering three new arrangements written for Ms. Alexander and the MJO, for this concert.

We'll be recording this performance for Chicago Jazz Live on WDCB, so you'll be part of the studio audience! See you there! -SR

Cash bar, light snacks, free parking right outside! Doors open for cocktails at 7:30.