Hastings College will host the annual jazz festival, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, April 6, 7 and 8. The festival will consist of two nights of free jazz music, open to the public, and a two-day jazz clinic for high school students. 

In honor of the college’s 125th anniversary, the festival will feature an alumni big band directed by John Mills, Greeley, Colo. Mills was Hastings College jazz program director from 1974 to 1980. 

Hastings College and Lochland Country Club will collaborate for an evening of music, Sunday, April 6, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Lochland Country Club. The evening will include jazz improvisation and a jam session featuring Hastings College alumni and other musicians from across the United States. 

The Hastings College Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Marc LaChance, associate professor of music, will open the jazz concert, Monday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m., in French Memorial Chapel. The second half of the evening will feature the alumni big band directed by Mills. 

Students from 14 high schools will work with guest clinicians Monday and Tuesday, April 7 and 8. Schools participating in the clinic include: Hastings High School, Grand Island Northwest High School, Superior High School, Gretna Public School, Norris High School (two groups), Perkins County Schools (Grant), Lawrence-Nelson High School, Springfield-Platteview High School, Nebraska City High School, Holdrege High School, Overton High School, Grand Island Public School (two groups), Sterling High School, and Lincoln High School (two groups). 

Clinicians for the jazz festival high school workshop will be: Dr. Michael Lewis, Timothy Glesmann and Mills.

Lewis is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. A 1974 Hastings College graduate, he is an internationally known trombonist, recording artist, scholar and composer. Lewis is a versatile musician in both classical and jazz styles.

Glesmann, Windsor, Colo., manages and operates Sax Alley, a business specializing in saxophone repair and sales. A 1981 graduate of Hastings College, Glesmann completed a master’s degree in saxophone performance at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley. 

While at Hastings College, Mills taught trumpet, guitar and brass lessons. He also worked with the jazz program. For 15 years, Mills was a district manager for Yamaha. He moved to Greeley, Colo., and opened The Trumpet Trader, a music store and repair shop. He plays with various big bands and jazz groups and directs the Kream of the Krop big band in Greeley.

Musicians participating in the alumni big band include:

Director/Trumpet:
John Mills, Greeley, Colo.

Saxophones:
John Carlotto ‘82, Omaha, Neb.
Tim Glesman ‘81, Ft. Collins, Colo.
Rebecca Hirsch Williams ‘01, Boulder, Colo.
Bob Start ‘79, Des Moines, Iowa
Irma Whitman ‘80, Ft. Collins, Colo.

Trumpets:
Lew Cole ‘78, Grand Island, Neb.
Dave Turnbull ‘83, Pullman, Wash.
Jerry Neeman ‘76, Ord, Neb.
Steve McCorkindale ’78, Mederville, Iowa

Trombones:
Chris Dobbins ‘07, Salt Lake City, Utah
Dave Hoch ‘78, Yuma, Colo.
Craig Lenz, ’83, Lincoln, Neb.
Ken Morris ‘75, Oberlin, Kan.
Mike Lewis ‘74, Platteville, Wis.
Marc LaChance, Hastings College

Flute:
Shelly Hollingsworth Lenz ‘80, Lincoln, Neb.

Piano:
Kathy Haas Warren ‘81, Hastings, Minn.

Bass:
Dave Klein ‘80, Kearney, Neb.

Rhythm:
Jami Fristo’82, Lincoln, Neb.
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