As NIU’s football team prepares for its game Saturday, the already internationally known NIU jazz department will showcase its faculty in a concert Saturday night.

The concert is in conjunction with DeKalb’s Jazzfest this weekend.

“Jazzfest in DeKalb” will be held at several area restaurants throughout Saturday, and will end Sunday with a jazz brunch at The House, 263 E. Lincoln Highway.

The Jazzfest will begin at 3 p.m. with lectures and musical assistance from NIU jazz studies’ musicians.

It will continue throughout the day with student jazz combos performing at area restaurants from 5 to 7 p.m. for background music during dinner.

The highlight of the day is the NIU jazz faculty’s concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St.

Robert Chappell, professor of music and head of percussion studies, will perform in the concert.

The Jazzfest came as a “cooperative adventure,” he said.

The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and the NIU Jazz Department have been organizing the event for more than a year.

“We hope to bring people into the town, and people that live in the city to come to a university event,” Chappell said.

The faculty concert will feature a variety of jazz music. It will include several pieces written and/or arranged by the musicians.