Jazz series brings cool nights to Naperville

Cooler evenings are in store for Naperville in the coming week, though the cool front is not in the weather forecast but on the social calendar.

It’s the “Hot Jazz — 6 Cool Nites” concert series, presented by Naperville’s North Central College.

“One of the things we’re really proud of is that on any one evening you’ll hear a lot of pieces with very different approaches,” said Janice Borla, director of the concert series.

The first five concerts — featuring a medley of “world-class performers,” Borla says — begin at 7:30 p.m. today and Monday through Thursday, July 18-21, in North Central College’s Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville.

Borla, a faculty member at North Central College and an acclaimed jazz vocalist, said the professional performers will showcase a variety of different vocal techniques. Borla, Jay Clayton and Rosana Eckert will headline the series, with a combination of different musical pairings taking the stage each evening.

Tickets for each of the five performances are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Jazz lovers can purchase tickets online or through the North Central College box office.

The concert series began as an offshoot of the Janice Borla Vocal Jazz Camp, a weeklong program for area musicians with a passion for jazz.

“We felt it was really important for the students attending to see a demonstration every night of what we were talking about,” Borla said.

Although training programs for instrumental jazz are fairly common, Borla saw a lack of opportunities for young vocal jazz singers to explore and develop their talent.

In the camp’s 23rd year, each of the program’s 25 participants will choose a song to perfect during the week and will perform Friday evening in the sixth concert of the Hot Jazz series.

“It’s jazz intensive for anyone looking to improve their solo vocal skills in the jazz genre,” Borla said.

The camp is a “jazz immersion program” open to high school and college students, as well as adults interested in expanding their vocal or instrumental repertoire, she said.

“We’re going to do nothing but speak jazz for six days,” Borla said.

Throughout the week, classes including history of jazz, vocal jazz theory and masters classes are taught by the three jazz vocalists participating in the “Hot Jazz — 6 Cool Nites” concert series.

“Jazz encompasses a wide variety of styles and repertoires, so we’re trying to present as complete a set of programs so the students can get a sense of the options they have,” Borla said.

Students will showcase their newly acquired talents at 7 p.m. Friday, July 22, in Meiley Swallow Hall. Tickets for Friday’s performance cost $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.

“Even if people have come out before, it’s a new program because new artists are involved,” Borla said.

If you go

If you go

What: Hot Jazz — 6 Cool Nites concert series

When: 7:30 p.m. today and Monday through Thursday, July 18 to 21; 7 p.m. Friday, July 22

Where: North Central College’s Meiley-Swallow Hall, 31 S. Ellsworth St., Naperville

Cost: $20 adults, $15 students and seniors; tickets for Friday are $10 adults, $5 students and seniors

Info: (630) 637-7469 or northcentralcollege.edu/show