The Garvin Theatre is sure to swing Monday night when saxophone legend Red Holloway joins City College’s award winning Lunch Break Band and Isaac Jenkins’ pro Monday Madness Band in a jazz concert.

“This is a concert that is going to be entertaining,” said James Mooy, music professor and event coordinator. “Red is just an amazing musician. “It doesn’t matter how old you are, you’re going to love him.”

“Legends of Jazz” starts at 7:30 p.m. on March 26 and will feature mostly traditional tunes with the addition of Holloway’s “bluesy, gritty flare,” Mooy said.

James “Red” Holloway, born in Helena, Ark., is a veteran saxophonist best known for his work with Sonny Stitt and is currently one of the busiest musicians on the international stage. He has a history of performing with other artists, and has performed alongside the likes of Dexter Gordon, Lionel Hampton, Jack McDuff, Billie Holiday, Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins and Lester Young.

“I’ve been trying to get Red H. in because he is from the old entertainment school of jazz,” Mooy said. “Not just jazz for art sake, but for entertainment sake and that’s what it’s all about.”

Mooy thinks the concert has the ability to hold a valuable lesson for students.

“I think that’s very important for students just not to get on their high and mighty artistic ladder when it comes to jazz, because this was the music that is all about entertainment,” he said.

The Monday Madness Band, directed by Isaac Jenkins, is made up of local professional musicians along with a few City College students. The Lunch Break Band is another City College ensemble that has consistently done well at the Reno International Jazz Festival in the community college division.

A large part of the money raised from concert’s ticket sales will go towards bringing in guest artists throughout the year.

“I’m bringing in first-call studio players to work with the band several times this year,” Mooy said. “Paying those people is definitely not cheap.”

Some of the upcoming musicians doing guest appearances at City College include bassist Kevin Axe, pianist Christian Jacobs and drummer Kevin Ordnard. Mooy said the remaining money will go to scholarships given to jazz music students.

Mooy guarantees some laughs at the event and encourages everyone, music students or not, to take advantage of this unique opportunity to see a true jazz legend perform with City College jazz musicians.