VALPARAISO | Jazz guitarist and bandleader John Pizzarelli will headline the 23rd annual Valparaiso University Jazz Fest, bringing his internationally-renowned cool jazz flavor to the Midwest's largest non-juried jazz festival.

Valparaiso's Jazz Fest, taking place April 14 to 19, also will include performances by nationally-respected jazz artists, the University's faculty and student ensembles, and jazz bands from Northwest Indiana schools. All performances will take place in the Valparaiso Union on campus.

Compared by reviewers to jazz icons such as Nat "King" Cole, Pizzarelli is the son of guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli and began playing guitar at the age of six. He has been lauded for his swinging interpretations of jazz standards and recorded more than 20 albums, including "Dear Mr. Cole," "Sunday at Pete's," "Dear Mr.

Sinatra," "Knowing You," "Bossa Nova" and "Live at Birdland."

The John Pizzarelli Quartet will perform at 7 and 9:30 p.m. April 19.

Tickets go on sale March 18 at 8:30 a.m. and are $23 for the general public and $16 for senior citizens and Valparaiso alumni.

The performance of Pizzarelli's quartet will be the culmination of Valparaiso's weeklong jazz celebration. Other concerts during the festival are:

April 14 - Several Northwest Indiana high school jazz bands and the Indiana University South Bend Jazz Band will perform at 6 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

April 15 - The Valparaiso University Jazz Ensemble, an auditioned "big band" student ensemble that plays traditional and contemporary jazz, will perform with several Northwest Indiana high school jazz bands at 6 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

April 16 - The Susan May Quartet, featuring Valparaiso freshman and critically-acclaimed jazz singer Susan May, and Chicago's Frank Russell Group will perform at 7 p.m. Tickets are $6.

April 17 - Valparaiso's Jazz Ensemble will perform with guest

artist Billy Pierce, a tenor saxophonist and chair of the woodwind department at Berklee College of Music, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $6.

April 18 - The Valparaiso Faculty Jazz Trio will perform with Pierce at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for Valparaiso alumni and senior citizens and $18 for the general public. The Faculty Jazz Trio, which has performed together for more than two decades, is composed of percussionist Jeffrey Brown, adjunct assistant professor of music and coordinator of jazz studies; pianist Billy Foster, adjunct instructor in music; and bassist Bruce Evans, adjunct instructor in music.

Tickets for all performances go on sale March 18 at the Valparaiso Union Information Desk. The information desk is open from 8:30 a.m. until midnight. Tickets also may be purchased by phone at (219) 464-5415 or online at valpo.edu/union. Mastercard, Visa and Discover credit cards are accepted, as well as checks.

--The Times