Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
The Oak Lawn Public Library’s “Jazz Music Legends of Oak Lawn” exhibit will be on display at the library, 9427 Raymond Ave., Oak Lawn, throughout 2024 and into the Spring of ’25, and celebrates one of the biggest high school jazz competitions in the country.
By Kelly White
The sweet sounds of jazz have filled the Oak Lawn Public Library.
Patrons were invited out on April 27 for the unveiling of the library’s latest Local History exhibit, “Jazz Music Legends of Oak Lawn.”
The exhibit will be on display at the library, 9427 Raymond Ave., Oak Lawn, for the rest of this year and into next spring and celebrates one of the biggest high school jazz competitions in the country, the Oak Lawn Jazz Festival, which was held from 1960 to 1986 at Oak Lawn Community High School. The festival hosted high school jazz bands from all across Illinois, as well as many highly esteemed, Chicago-native professional jazz performers.
“We hope the exhibit raises awareness of this prestigious event that happened right here for a very long time,” Tom Javorcic, Local History Librarian at the Oak Lawn Public Library, said. “It’s a music legacy to be proud of. We also hope to bring the community together, particularly former alumni of high school jazz music, and help them remember and cherish the many years they performed great music in Oak Lawn.”
The Library Foundation suggested the idea over a year ago. Foundation board member and treasurer Robert Thompson attended Oak Lawn Community High School in the 1970s and participated in the jazz band. Thompson told Oak Lawn Public Library’s Board about the Jazz Festival and thought it would be a nice bit of Oak Lawn history to highlight.
The exhibit fills the entire Local History area on the second floor.
Included are photos of Oak Lawn Community High School jazz bands from the years 1960 to 1985, designed to look like high school yearbook pages.
Also featured are vintage jazz instruments, donated by Joe and Aurora Starita of Rossi Music on 95th Avenue. A.J. Roccaforte, a rock and roll concert photographer, donated some of his best concert photos of the bands REO Speedwagon and STYX, two bands with deep roots in Oak Lawn.
The exhibit was completed by various photos, program books and other items donated by former Oak Lawn Community High School students.
“There are a few large groups of OLCHS alumni who are still performing in small groups all over the suburbs,” Javorcic said. “As several prominent professional jazz musicians came from Oak Lawn, I’d say there’s a solid core of jazz music lovers here.”
On the opening night of the exhibit on Saturday, guests were treated to a mesmerizing jazz tribute performed by the talented Oak Lawn Community High School music students. There were also light refreshments, courtesy of the library, available while the audience immersed themselves in the lively tunes.
Audience members were also able to choose their preferred listening spot during the live jazz performances that took place: either by relaxing in the lobby or enjoying a bird’s-eye view from the balcony upstairs portion of the library.
Following the performance, guests were invited to explore our captivating exhibit, take a trip down memory lane, and leave their mark in our guestbook.
“It was a day filled with music, art and cherished moments not to be missed,” Javorcic said.
During the summer, the library will be offering guided tours, and throughout the year staff will also be hosting musical performances from a variety of jazz groups.
Clik here to view.
The Oak Lawn Public Library’s “Jazz Music Legends of Oak Lawn” exhibit will be on display at the library, 9427 Raymond Ave., Oak Lawn, throughout 2024 and into the Spring of ’25.