Rootabaga Jamm Jazz Festival, March 12-14

The line-up of events for this year's festival is:

Thursday, March 12, 8 p.m., Bier Garden, Cherry Street Brewing Company. The Knox Faculty Jazz Sextet, featuring Scott Garlock, trombone; Larry Harms, saxophone; Manny Lopez, trumpet; Earl Gately, bass; Kevin Hart, drums; Danny Leahy, piano; and Mike Nellas, guitar. Tickets are $4 at the door.

Friday, March 13, Cherry Street Brewing Company. At 7:30 p.m., the Clinicians Combo, featuring Rich Shanklin, saxophone; Mike Pagan, piano; and Rob Parton, trumpet. At 8:15 p.m., The Orquesta de Jazz y Salsa Alto Maiz. At 8:45 p.m., The Jae Sinnett Trio. Tickets covering all three performances are $10 at the door.

Saturday, March 14, Orpheum Theatre. At 1 p.m., Scholastic Jazz Festival. At 7:30 p.m. The Knox College Jazz Ensemble with The Jae Sinnett Trio and The Hornheads. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Jae Sinnett -- drummer, composer and leader of The Jae Sinnett Trio -- has performed with nationally recognized artists, including Joe Henderson, Freddy Hubbard and Ellis Marsalis. He has four recordings, "Obsession," "Blue Jae," "House and Sinnett" and his latest, "Listen." The Jae Sinnett Trio also features Allen Farnham, piano and Terry Burrell, bass.

Orquesta de Jazz y Salsa Alto Maiz is a popular Latin-jazz-dance band based in Iowa City. They play a wide range of Latin musical styles including the merengue, samba, cha-cha-cha, salsa, Afro-Cuban and punta. The Orquesta de Jazz y Salsa Alto Maiz features Bob Washnut, Steve Grismore, Forest Stewart, rhythm section; Edgar East, Dan Hummel, Paul Cunliffe, percussion; Al Naylor, Brent Sandy, Rich Medd, Bob Thompson, horns; and Tom Barry, sound engineer.

The Hornheads features Michael B. Nelson, trombone; Dave Jensen, trumpet; Kathy Jensen, baritone saxophone; Steve Strand, trumpet; and Ken Holmen, soprano saxophone. The Hornheads have performed and recorded with Janet Jackson, Dizzy Gillespie, Doc Severinson and the artist formerly known as Prince.

The "Clinicians Combo" is a group of jazz artists who will work with the high school bands on Saturday. Saxophonist Rich Shanklin has performed with many entertainers including Wayne Newton, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bob Hope. One of his instrumental works, recorded by the University of North Texas Lab Band, has been nominated for a Grammy Award. Pianist Michael Pagan has received numerous awards as a composer/arranger. He has performed with jazz greats including Milt Hinton, Lenny Niehaus and Billy Hart. Trumpeter Rob Parton is one of the most active trumpet players on the Chicago music scene. Parton has worked in many venues at Chicago including the Goodman Theatre and has performed as first trumpet with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The annual Rootabaga Jamm Jazz Festival is sponsored by Knox College, Norwest Bank, G&M Distributors Inc., The Register Mail and Grant Bullis Insurance Agency. Its name is inspired by the collection of children's stories, Rootabaga Stories, by famed Galesburg author Carl Sandburg.

Founded in 1837, Knox is an independent, four-year, liberal arts college, located in Galesburg, Illinois, with 1,100 students from 42 states and 33 nations. Knox's "Old Main," a National Historic Landmark, is the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.

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