The U.S. Air Force Shades of Blue jazz ensemble will give a free, public performance, on Saturday, Feb. 28, in SIU Carbondale’s Shryock Auditorium. (Photo provided)
February 23, 2026
U.S. Air Force Shades of Blue jazz ensemble to perform Feb. 28 at SIU
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The U.S. Air Force Shades of Blue jazz ensemble will give a free, public performance, on Saturday, Feb. 28, in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Shryock Auditorium.
The concert will begin at 7 p.m. Ticket reservations are required and available at www.afbandtix.org/ by going to the Feb. 28 concert listing. The SIU School of Music is sponsoring the event.
Under the direction of commander and conductor Lt. Col. Dustin M. Doyle, the jazz ensemble is one of eight music performance teams that comprise the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America, which is based out of Scott Air Force Base, Staff Sgt. Derrick Newbold, the ensemble’s music director and operations representative, said. There are 47 enlisted musicians in the Band of Mid-America, with 19 in the ensemble, he said.
The jazz ensemble averages 24 to 30 performances each year. The band has a 10-state area of responsibility, including Illinois and Missouri.
Media availability
Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to cover the performance, which begins at 7 p.m. Media may be on-site for the performance. Media may record a portion of the concert for use in their broadcasts, but commercial recordings to sell is prohibited. For more information, contact Brian Logan, technical sergeant, Band of Mid-America at brian.logan.5@us.af.mil, or Tyler Kennamer, jazz ensemble group leader, the evening of the show. For more information or assistance in arranging interviews with SIU students, contact Ricky Spears, SIU School of Music assistant professor of trumpet and assistant director of athletic bands, at ricky.spears@siu.edu or Richard Kelley, School of Music director, at kelley2@siu.edu or the School of Music at 618-536-8742.
The jazz ensemble performance will be “a mix of genres and composers” from big band swing to patriotic selections and feature something for everyone, Newbold said.
The jazz ensemble will be joined by renowned saxophonist and music educator Chip McNeill, a professor of jazz saxophone at the University of Illinois. The ensemble will play some of McNeill’s original music as well, Newbold said.
“My hope is that the audience experiences the power of music to bridge communities, gain a deeper appreciation for the Air Force’s history and mission, and feel genuinely energized and inspired by what they heard,” Newbold said.
Will work with SIU students
Newbold said the jazz ensemble will lead a masterclass for the School of Music’s trumpet school. Ricky Spears, an assistant professor of trumpet and assistant director of athletic bands, helped arrange the concert and master class after a former trumpet student who is in the Air Force band mentioned they would be in the region.
“We hope to have a full house, and to show our students and the community the quality level that the United States Air Force Bands display and hopefully inspire our students to be motivated to pursue excellence in their musical careers,” Spears said.
The performance marks the third military band concert at SIU Carbondale in the past 17 months. The U.S. Marine Band performed in October 2024 and U.S. Navy Band Great Lakes wind ensemble in December 2025.