A five-day event that brings world-class jazz to the Galesburg community starts this week.

Andy Crawford, Managing Director of the Music Performance Program at Knox College, joined Galesburg's Morning News to preview the 2025 Rootabaga Jazz Festival, happening May 6-10 in Galesburg.

This year's headliner is DC and the Love, fronted by legendary Chicago bassist Dennis Carroll. The group features Peoria native Greg Ward on saxophone, Mar Vilaseca on vocals, and a dynamic rhythm section of piano, guitar and drums. Vilaseca is a rising star vocalist from Barcelona, now based in NYC. She’s coming straight from China after a week of performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai.

Juan Pastor’s Chinchano is a Chicago-based Peruvian cajonist and drummer. His band blends traditional Peruvian folk rhythms with jazz styles and improvisation.

There's a free Saturday night concert at the Orpheum Theatre starting at 7 p.m., made possible by NAEIR.

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