Evanston Township High School will host the 12th annual High School Jazz Festival on Sunday.

The Jeff Hamilton Trio will headline the evening’s performance, according to ETHS bands’ website. The trio consists of Jeff Hamilton on drums, Christoph Luty on bass and Tamir Hendelman on piano. Hamilton has performed and recorded across the globe and was nominated for best jazz recording in Germany in 1997. He has also recorded songs with Natalie Cole, Diana Krall, Rosemary Clooney, Barbra Streisand and many others.

The festival is an all-day event intended to expose students to jazz and let them display their skills.

“The focus is on groups coming, performing and sharing their talents,” organizer Mike Lehman said. “Groups are coming in from all around the state. Some are driving three or four hours to get here.”

Middle school and high school jazz students will perform in non-competitive clinics. They will perform before a group of professional jazz performers and educators, who will work with the students to make improvements they can take back to their schools, Lehman said.

The Jeff Hamilton Trio will give a lecture in the afternoon and take the stage in the main auditorium at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online and proceeds go toward improving the jazz program at ETHS.

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