This year’s Chris Grubb Memorial Jazz Concert, titled “The Blues Brothers Cruise Again” will be jazzing up April with many surprises, guest artists and quite a lot of jazz. The concert will feature the Baker Jazz Ensemble, its director J.D. Parr on saxophone, two alumni from the popular 10-piece Kansas City jazz band Four Fried Chickens and a Coke and two local performers portraying the Blues Brothers.

“I don’t want to make a big deal out of this,” retiring Director of Jazz Ensemble J.D. Parr said. “But it could draw a few people to the concert, for the sympathy vote. It’s my last concert as jazz band director. I’ve been thinking about it a lot over the year, thinking I need to do something special. But then I had that opportunity to have Ken Peplowski here, one of the world’s greatest clarinetist. I couldn’t top that.”

This annual spring jazz concert is in memory of one of Parr’s late students, Chris Grubb, a saxophone player who died while at Baker in the 1980s. Grubb’s name now lives on through an endowed scholarship which is awarded to a saxophone player in the Baker Jazz Ensemble each year. Donations to the Chris Grubb Memorial Scholarship fund will be accepted at the door of the Thursday, April 14, concert commencing at 7:30 p.m. in Rice Auditorium.

Parr may not top last semester’s concert, but he is setting up his last concert with the Jazz Ensemble to be a memorable one.

After 33 years of teaching jazz to Baker students, many of his students have passed through his office seeking his guidance and knowledge.

Alumnus Ken Richardson and Doug Oswald are among the list of those students. After graduation, they went on to be founding members of Four Fried Chickens and a Coke. The name of the band originates from a scene in the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers” when John Belushi’s character, Jake, asks a waitress, played by Aretha Franklin, for “four fried chickens and a coke.”

This fits with the band’s style of the Blues Brothers era of music, remade famous rock ‘n’ roll hits from the 1970s.

Thinking more about this concert, Parr thought back to one of the “Four Fried Chickens and a Coke” shows that he attended a few years ago and got an idea.

“They had a big springtime Saturday afternoon celebration, and there were these two guys who arrived in this car that was identical to [Blues Brothers’ movie] car. They just parked it there and sat out on the hood of the car drinking beer acting cool all afternoon long . . . So when I was arranging this concert, I asked Ken, ‘Would those two guys that hang out at your concerts be interested?’ . . . We’ve been in contact with them and they want to come out too.”

These two men, whom Parr only knows as the Blues Brothers because they won’t tell him their real names, will dance and sing along with the bands during a few numbers.

Some of the songs that will be featured are jazzy rock ‘n’ roll classics, like “Respect”,  “Jailhouse Rock”, “Twist and Shout” and, of course, the Blues Brothers theme song “Can’t Turn You Loose.”

Junior Lora Finley plays saxophone and has been a part of the Baker Jazz Ensemble since her second semester of her freshman year. This year she will sing “Jailhouse Rock” with the ensemble, a song she knows well. She is optimistic the night should have plenty of entertainment.

She thinks this concert is going to be fun, that the guest artists are really interesting and it will all make for a great concert.

Junior Madison Wendt has been singing with the Jazz Ensemble since her freshman year and will be singing a few songs this year, including “Respect” by Aretha Franklin.

Wendt says she “is definitely a Blues Brothers fan.” During her freshman year, Wendt and another singer performed “Soul Man” from the Blues Brothers in the iconic sunglasses and black jackets, because Parr couldn’t find a male singer.

Because of Parr’s decision to retire, Wendt feels as though this concert is slightly bittersweet.

“It is going to be really sad for me (when Parr retires),” Wendt said. “It’s always been a dream of mine to sing jazz music with a jazz ensemble, and I never thought that I would get the chance to do that. He is the reason that I get to. I’m gonna miss him . . . It is going to be different, and we are going to miss having him around the department.”

Parr plans to leave on a high note with this concert and admits that there is a possibility of a few unexpected performances.

“There could be some surprises that night,” Parr said, alluding to his surprise accordion appearance at last semester’s concert. “It’s not going to be classy or sophisticated, it is just going to be fun. We’re not trying to make anybody think, we’re just trying to have a good time . . . There are plenty of serious concerts going on here, so might as well have one that is nothing but smiles and joy.”