Bob Lark Trio

About this event

TICKETS are $20 General/$10 Student. Concert is one set; End time is estimate.

Composer, trumpeter, and flugelhornist Bob Lark leads his ensemble in a program featuring original compositions drawn from his extensive catalog of recordings, alongside selected works from the straight-ahead and hard-bop jazz tradition. Distinguished by lyrical melodies, sophisticated harmonic writing, and expressive improvisation, Lark's music reflects a contemporary compositional voice shaped by decades of creative work as a performer, composer, and educator. Balancing thoughtfully crafted compositions with dynamic ensemble interaction, the project highlights the enduring vitality of straight-ahead jazz while presenting Lark's distinctive artistic voice through collaborative improvisation and expressive musical dialogue.

Bob Lark - flugelhorn & trumpet

Kevin Fort - piano

Cory Biggerstaff - bass

Bob Lark - HTTPS://www.Yamaha.com

Kevin Fort – HTTPS://www.kevinfort.com

Bob Lark is recognized regionally, nationally, and internationally as a contemporary performer and educator of integrity. In speaking of Lark, jazz icon Clark Terry stated, “He’s a very good trumpet player, a very good musician. He’s paid his dues.” Leader of the Bob Lark Jazz Septet and Bob Lark and his Alumni Big Band, he regularly performs at Chicago’s prominent jazz clubs. Critically acclaimed recordings on the Jazzed Media label include those by The Bob Lark/Phil Woods Quintet, Bob Lark and his Alumni Big Band, and Bob Lark and Friends, with Phil Woods, Rufus Reid, Jim McNeely, and Mark Colby. Bob’s playing and writing are also featured on the CD recordings Until You and First Steps on the Hallway label. Since 2022, Bob has been a member of the Toledo Jazz Orchestra (Ohio), a professional band comprised of many of the finest jazz musicians in the region.

After 45 years of teaching (44 at the university level, including the past 5 years at Valparaiso University), Bob Lark will retire following the 2026 Spring term. Bob is the Director of Jazz Studies at Valparaiso University in northwest Indiana, having previously served for 31 years as the Director of Jazz Studies at DePaul University. DownBeat magazine recognized Bob’s work in 2010 with their Jazz Education Achievement Award.

Kevin Fort has established himself as one of the most in-demand pianists on the Chicago jazz scene. He is a champion of the straight-ahead jazz tradition while embracing modern influences. The Kevin Fort Trio, which features bassist Joe Policastro and drummer Jon Deitemeyer, has been described as “one of the finest working piano trios in the business” (All About Jazz). Currently, Kevin serves as a faculty member at the Northwestern University Bienen School of Music, where he mentors the next generation of jazz musicians.

Cory Biggerstaff received a Bachelors degree in Music Education from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. After teaching in Lincoln Public Schools for a year, he moved to Chicago to attend DePaul University where he received a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance in 2004. He studied with many DePaul faculty members including bassist Kelly Sill, pianist Larry Novak and guitarist Bob Palmeri.

Cory now teaches privately at the Laughlin School and is the bass instructor at Harold Washington College. He works with wedding bands covering a wide variety of musical styles and also performs as a freelance musician on both acoustic and electric basses around the Chicago area.

Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from the Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services Private Trust Foundations, which include grants from the Stanley A. and Flora P. Clark Memorial Community Trust Foundation, the John, Anna, and Martha Jane Fields Memorial Trust Foundation, and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust. Special concert event support provided by the Arts Midwest Grow, Invest, Gather (GIG) Fund grant (2022-2023 season). Activities are made possible in part by the Arts Organization Support (AOS), Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from The Esther and George Jaruga Charitable Foundation (2020-2023 seasons). The Student and Home Grown Series concerts made possible, in part, with support from the ArtsEverywhere Grant from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, and the Arts Project Support Grant and the Arts Recovery Grant through the Indiana Arts Commission.