Saxophonist Jarrard Harris to perform on Our Front Porch with the HAT Trio

Name: Saxophonist Jarrard Harris to perform on Our Front Porch with the HAT Trio
Start: 2026-03-06T17:30:00-06:00
End: 2026-03-06T19:30:00-06:00
Location: 201 S Lafayette St, Macomb, IL, United States, Illinois 61455

Schedule

Fri Mar 06 2026 at 05:30 pm to 07:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

201 S Lafayette St, Macomb, IL, United States, Illinois 61455 | Macomb, IL

The Western Illinois Museum, in partnership with the Western Illinois University (WIU) School of Music, invites jazz fans to an exciting evening with saxophonist Jarrard Harris on Friday, March 6th. Harris will perform in the Museum’s indoors Our Front Porch, with the HAT Trio for two sets at 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm, with doors and bar opening at 4:30 pm. The night concludes at 7:30 pm with a performance by WIU students. A $5 suggested donation is requested at the door.
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, saxophonist and educator Jarrard Harris is Clinical Assistant Professor of Bands at Purdue University, where he leads the jazz program. He has served on the jazz faculties of Northwestern University, Columbia College Chicago, and the City Colleges of Chicago, and also as the Director of Jazz Studies with the Chicago Public Schools Advanced Arts Education Program at Gallery 37. He was a founding board member of the Jazz Education Network and serves as a current board member for the Jazz Institute of Chicago. He is a Vandoren Performing Artist.
Joining Harris is the HAT Trio: WIU jazz faculty Matt Hughes (bass), George Turner (guitar), and Whitney Ashe (piano). This performance is part of the Music on Our Front Porch series, which presents world-class jazz and classical musicians in the Museum’s cozy, one-of-a-kind space, offering a rare chance to experience locally accomplished musicians up close.
The series continues on April 3rd with saxophonist Dave Detweiler. This program is supported in part by grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the WIU Performing Arts Society.
The Western Illinois Museum is a non-profit organization celebrating and nurturing the history, culture, and traditions of McDonough County. It is a vibrant community hub that features exhibits, an open collection area, lectures, music, and other programs in a historic building. The Museum is located at 201 S. Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square and is fully accessible.
A full schedule of events can be found at wimuseum.org or follow on social media @wimuseum. For further information, call 309-837-2750, text 309-837-2613, or email [email protected].
About the HAT Trio
The HAT Trio brings a fresh approach to the classic piano, guitar, and bass ensemble, blending influences from jazz and classical music to explore new musical territory. Guitarist Dr. George Turner has performed across various genres, including traditional jazz with established Illinois musicians, contemporary jazz with the Bloomington-based Kevin Hart and the Vibe Tribe, Brazilian music with Champaign-based Samba Soul, and a poly-stylistic approach with the Almost “A” Quintet. Bassist Matt Hughes, a veteran of jazz legend Betty Carter’s working band, has performed with Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Jimmy Heath, Max Weinberg, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Pianist Whitney Ashe has worked with jazz luminaries like Vincent Herring, Eric Alexander, and Tommy Igoe. He has also composed for the Capitol Saxophone Quartet, Christopher Creviston, and The Rivertown Duo. The trio began performing together in Macomb while teaching at Western Illinois University.