Music & Comedy
Jae Via & the Loest-Calhoon Jazz Orchestra September 13, 2026
Jae Via is a Neo-Soul and R&B artist from the south suburbs of Chicago. She has been writing songs for over a decade and consistently releasing music since 2021. She has performed across the city and suburbs of Chicago over the last five years. Listeners can feel the raw emotion in her work, as she prides herself on her honest songwriting.
Jae Via is joined by the Loest-Calhoon Jazz Orchestra (LCJO), a new Chicago-based ensemble that delivers a fresh, contemporary sound. The LCJO performs a wide range of styles, from classic big band repertoire, funk and R&B, and original compositions drawing inspiration from Chicago’s contemporary jazz scene.
Founded by University of Illinois jazz alumni and local educators Sam Calhoon and Stefan Loest in 2026, the band features up-and-coming talents from the Chicagoland area who share a dedication to honoring the great big band lineage while advancing musical boundaries. Alongside performing jazz standards and pop classics, the LCJO regularly premieres original compositions and arrangements by members of the ensemble and young local composers.
