Northern Illinois University Jazz Orchestra at The Cliff Dwellers

Editor’s Note: On April 22, 2026, the Northern Illinois University Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Roosevelt Griffin III made a return visit to The Cliff Dwellers.  An enthusiastic Griffin, Director of Jazz Studies at NIU, and a proud Cliff Dweller himself, led the band through  a set list of familiar jazz classics.  Starting off with “Doctone” from Bradford Marsalis, the group went on to play songs from Billy Strayhorn of Count Basie’s band, Stevie Wonder and other notable composers. Griffin then wound up the evening by taking his student orchestra through a crowd pleasing finish with a Quincy Jones arrangement of  “Let the Good Times Roll.”