Jazz guitarist John McLean performs Sept. 14 at North Central College

Audience members will enjoy an evening of stellar jazz by a member of North Central College’s acclaimed music faculty when guitarist John McLean performs Sept. 14.

“An Evening With Jazz Guitarist John McLean” begins at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, in Madden Theatre at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave. Tickets are $20/adults and $15/students and senior citizens; call the North Central College Box Office at 630-637-SHOW (7469) or visit northcentralcollege.edu/showtix.

A native of Long Island, N.Y., McLean attended high school in Detroit where he began playing gigs at age 16. After moving to Boston—where he attended the Berklee College of Music—McLean headed to Florida to earn his master’s degree from the University of Miami in 1988. Before settling in Chicago to concentrate on his music, he taught in Nova Scotia for three years.

McLean has appeared on more than 20 recordings, including albums led by fellow Chicago musicians Terry Collier, Grazyna Auguscik, Patricia Barber and Janice Borla. He has made appearances at clubs and festivals throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, including performances with jazz greats such as Randy Brecker, Jane Ira Bloom, Kurt Elling and Jerry Granelli.

Neil Tesser of the Chicago Reader says, “No jazz musician in Chicago can more quickly electrify a tune or galvanize an audience; for that matter, only a few jazz guitarists throughout the country can match the focused intensity of his playing. Once he has your attention, he holds on to it with quick, hard stories perched between street-talk and Olympian pronouncement.”

McLean’s most recent recording, “Better Angels,” is available on Origin Records. Visit johnmcleanmusic.com to learn more about the artist.

Visit northcentralcollege.edu/majors/jazz-studies to learn more about North Central’s jazz studies program and the College’s acclaimed music faculty.

Navistar is underwriting sponsor of North Central College’s 2012-2013 Fine and Performing Arts Season. The season is partially supported by USG Corporation, JPMorgan Chase and a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.