Illinois Central Jazz Train
The Beginning
After realizing the abundance of phenomenal musicians both in his saxophone studio and in the area, Larry Harms realized it was time to form a big band. His vision: “a contemporary jazz orchestra with great respect for the past.” And so the Illinois Central Jazz Train was born, premiering in 2005. Now, after more than a decade of making music, the band has maintained that vision. Every performance is filled with both jazz standards from the likes of Sammy Nestico, Louis Bellson, and Duke Ellington, and contemporary works such as those by Gordon Goodwin, Frank Mantooth, and our very own Tom Fatten. Still under the direction of Larry Harms, the band maintains a strong foothold in the traditions of jazz while continuing to perform works that push big band jazz to new levels.
The Name
The band takes its name from the Illinois Central Railroad. This ran all the way from Chicago to New Orleans and connected much of the Midwest to much of the rest of the world. It is with this forward motion and connectivity to the community that the group was founded, and thus was named.
Our Mission
Illinois Central Jazz Train is an in-residence performing group at Illinois Central College. Through that partnership, the band plays two concerts a year in ICC’s Performing Arts Center. More than that, each member of the group is committed to music education and advocacy in some way. As a group, the band seeks to promote jazz by bringing music to the public. Most of the concerts the band plays are free to attend. As individual members, many are involved in k-12 music education, private instruction, college level music instruction, or promoting jazz through performances. It is with this commitment to serving the community that the Illinois Central Jazz Train continues its mission to advocate for music and music education throughout the area.