TMS Jazz Jamboree

03/21/2024

The TMS Jazz Jamboree era has come to a close. We want to thank all the students, band directors, clinicians, and professional musicians who have made the festival what it was through the years.

The Chicagoland Jazz Workshop at Buffalo Grove High School has opened two middle school rooms for our Jamboree bands to consider as a replacement. The Chicagoland Jazz Workshop embodies the Jazz Jamboree’s format by offering a non-competitive festival with excellent clinicians and a professional ensemble for your students to hear. The 2025 Workshop takes place on Saturday, January 25th, 2025. Registration will open April 17, 2024.

Additional information can be found at

Immerse yourself in the world of jazz at the 2nd Annual Chicagoland Jazz Workshop!

01/27/2024

Our noontime headliners: The Jacobi Family Band featuring Lara Driscoll and guest trumpeter Joe Lill!

01/27/2024

Our noontime headliners: The Jacobi Family Band featuring Lara Driscoll and guest trumpeter Joe Lill!
That’s a-Plenty

01/27/2024

It’s a GREAT DAY here at the TMS Jazz Jamboree! We are grateful for every band that came to participate and especially grateful for this year’s outstanding clinicians: Brian Itzkowitz, Glenn Williams, Brian Jacobi and Joe Lill.

We enjoyed hearing the Jacobi Family Band, featuring Lara Driscoll and special guest trumpeter Joe Lill as our noontime featured performers. Thank you to everyone who participated and helped to make this year’s Jamboree a success!

01/26/2024

Here is the schedule for our 26th annual TMS Jazz Jamboree, held Sat, Jan 27, 2024. Come hear some terrific middle school jazz performers throughout the day. Our noontime feature performers are the fabulous Jacobi Family Band, featuring Lara Driscoll! You don't want to miss it!

12/08/2023

We are proud to welcome back to Thomas the Jacobi Family Band featuring Lara Driscoll. They perform at our jazz festival - Saturday, January 27 at noon. You don’t want to miss these outstanding musicians!

Here is more information about the group:

French-American pianist Lara Driscoll has been praised for her “captivating style and uncluttered finesse” (CKVL-FM, Montreal), and Downbeat’s Suzanne Lorge noted the “understated arrangements and meltingly delicious voicings” of her debut trio recording Woven Dreams (2020). She is a Luminarts jazz performance and composition award recipient and earned degrees in jazz piano from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and McGill University. She taught courses at McGill prior to her current jazz faculty position at Loyola University, Chicago. In addition to her trio and the Firm Roots Duo (debut album Firm Roots released in 2021), she performs regularly as a freelance pianist. www.laradriscoll.com

Brian Jacobi played trombone in Rob Parton’s JazzTech Big Band and its predecessor, the Bob Stone Big Band, for over twenty-five years. His three sons frequently attended his performances, and were inspired and encouraged by some of the finest musicians in town. Brian also taught junior high band for thirty-five years in Park Ridge, Niles and Oak Park.

The Jacobis and Lara have performed together extensively since their first encounters in Arlington Heights while attending Hersey High School, where they met while performing in the school jazz band. The collaboration began with Lara joining playing sessions at the Jacobi house and annual trips to the Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops, and it has continued for many years.

Ryan earned his degree in jazz performance at the University of North Texas, where he studied with legendary jazz drummer Ed Soph. He spent ten years performing and recording in the Dallas area before moving back to Chicago. He has toured throughout the United States in a variety of ensembles ranging from jazz to alternative rock. He has performed at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, and recorded multiple sessions at Willie Nelson’s Perdonales studio. Ryan has several album credits with the bands Oso Closo and Nelo, as well as a soon-to-be released album by vocalist Abigail Riccards.

Sean is a Chicago bassist, having assumed bass responsibilities for the family band at the age of ten. He graduated from the University of North Texas in Jazz Studies in 2009, studying with acclaimed bassist Lynn Seaton. Sean has played with artists such as Abigail Riccards, Jane Monheit, Joel Frahm, Nelo, and Zoe Muth at places such as The Chicago Jazz Fest, South by Southwest Festival, and The Americana Music Festival. In addition to his jazz background, Sean has a keen interest in electronic music, DJing, running a home studio, and managing his label, Merganser Recordings.

Kevin was able to explore music from an early age thanks to the influence and mentorship of family and teachers. He took up the saxophone at age ten and continued to study the instrument through college, earning a BA in Jazz Studies from the State University of New York, Purchase Campus. After pursuing music in New York City for a few more years, Kevin moved home to Chicago to explore the city’s vibrant music scene and to be closer to family. He has worked as a freelance jazz saxophonist, private instructor, record store clerk, and DJ. He continues to teach and play saxophone and also enjoys exploring a wide range of music, including electronic, experimental, dance and many non-Western musics.

01/29/2023

Our noontime headliner was the amazing group from Chicago - 312 Six.

Song: Sail Away
Musicians: Tim McNamara - sax, Fred Powell - trumpet, Tim Coffman - trombone, Steve Million - piano, Dan Anderson - bass and Bob Rummage - drums

01/29/2023

Our noontime headliner was the amazing group from Chicago - 312 Six.

Song: Caravan
Musicians: Tim McNamara - sax, Fred Powell - trumpet, Tim Coffman - trombone, Steve Million - piano, Dan Anderson - bass and Bob Rummage - drums

01/29/2023

Our noontime headliners was the amazing group from Chicago - 312 Six.

Song: Step Lightly
Musicians: Tim McNamara - sax, Fred Powell - trumpet, Tim Coffman - trombone, Steve Million - piano, Dan Anderson - bass and Bob Rummage - drums

01/29/2023

Our noontime headliner was the amazing group from Chicago - 312 Six.

Song: The Hubster
Musicians: Tim McNamara - sax, Fred Powell - trumpet, Tim Coffman - trombone, Steve Million - piano, Dan Anderson - bass and Bob Rummage - drums

01/29/2023

Our noontime headliner was the amazing group from Chicago - 312 Six.

Song: Yes or No
Musicians: Tim McNamara - sax, Fred Powell - trumpet, Tim Coffman - trombone, Steve Million - piano, Dan Anderson - bass and Bob Rummage - drums

01/29/2023

Enjoy some photos from this year's 25th Anniversary TMS Jazz Jamboree! See separate posts for some video of our noontime guests: 312 Six.

We want to thank everyone who participated and were involved in creating another successful year of great music making!

01/27/2023

🎶"You're only a day away!"🎶 Saturday, Jan 28.

A day filled with JAZZ! From middle school jazz bands throughout the day to our NOONTIME special guests "312 Six." This sextet is made up of some of the FINEST jazz artists in Chicago:

Tim McNamara - sax
Fred Powell - trumpet
Tim Coffman - trombone
Steve Million - piano
Dan Anderson - bass
Bob Rummage - drums

Plan to attend the TMS Jazz Jamboree at Thomas MS in Arlington Heights. Schedule attached ...

01/21/2023

One week from today! We are excited to welcome our special guests "312 Six" for our feature performance at NOON. This sextet is made up of some of the FINEST jazz artists in Chicago:

Tim McNamara - sax
Fred Powell - trumpet
Tim Coffman - trombone
Steve Million - piano
Dan Anderson - bass
Bob Rummage - drums

Plan to attend the TMS Jazz Jamboree to hear them as well as middle school jazz bands throughout the day at Thomas MS in Arlington Heights. Schedule attached ...

01/08/2023

Here is the schedule for our 25th annual TMS Jazz Jamboree, held Sat, Jan 28, 2023. Our noontime feature performers are the fabulous "312 Six" - a jazz sextet with artists Tim Coffman (trombone), Tim McNamara (saxophone) and Fred Powell (trumpet). You don't want to miss it!

01/08/2023

Twenty days away! 🥳

10/22/2022

We're celebrating 25 years! Make your plans to attend the 25th anniversary of the TMS Jazz Jamboree this January 28, 2023!

10/22/2022

Registration is OPEN for this year's Jazz Jamboree at Thomas Middle School! It will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2023. Come celebrate our 25th anniversary and be a part of history!

The Jazz Jamboree is non-competitive. It is for ALL junior high bands, especially developing bands.

Please contact the Jamboree organizer, Dana Berry - or comment below and we can send you more detailed information on how to get registered.

But HURRY! There are only 3 slots left for interested bands! Hope to see YOU there. 🤩

01/29/2022

We are grateful for the knowledge and inspiration shared today by this year’s amazing clinicians: Bob Lark, Tim Coffman, Gerald Martinez and Steve Schnall. 🤩 Here Bob Lark gives some improv tips to the Thomas kids (and parents) that he learned from the great Clark Terry:

01/29/2022

Bob Lark Alumni Big Band IN THE HOUSE! 2022 TMS Jazz Jamboree. Soloists: Tim Coffman (trombone), Gerald Martinez (alto sax) and Bennett Heinz (trumpet). Killin’ it! 🤩🥳

01/29/2022

Bob Lark’s Alumni Big Band at the 2022 TMS Jazz Jamboree - with the help of a willing student audience member. 🤩

01/29/2022

The great Bob Lark and his Alumni Big Band - IN THE HOUSE at the 2022 TMS Jazz Jamboree!

01/29/2022

Bob Lark’s Alumni Big Band at the 2022 TMS Jazz Jamboree, Craig Sunkin - soloing on trombone.

01/29/2022

We’re off to a great start at the Jazz Jamboree!! Be sure to stop by at noon to hear the Bob Lark Big Band, and stick around to hear more jazz performed by area middle school bands. We’re grateful to our judges for the outstanding tips, insights and inspiration they pour out on these young participants: Bob Lark, Gerald Martinez, Tim Coffman and Steve Schnall.

01/12/2022

You don't want to miss this! Check out the performance schedule for this year's TMS Jazz Jamboree. We are excited to welcome back the Bob Lark Alumni Big Band as our noontime performers!! We're counting the days to some GREAT music. Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 29 at Thomas Middle School.

02/24/2021

Save the date for the 24th annual TMS Jazz Jamboree on Saturday, January 29, 2022! We are excited to welcome the Bob Lark Alumni Big Band as our special noontime featured performers. We look forward to some awesome middle school jazz bands making music again at this not-to-be-missed fun and educational event!