The 2025 Al Sears Music Fest wraps up in style on Sunday, September 21, with an afternoon of music and conversation at the Western Illinois Museum celebrating the life and legacy of Macomb’s own jazz pioneer.
This year’s closing program features Yoseph Henry, an acclaimed jazz, R&B, and gospel vocalist and proud Western Illinois University alum, who will both perform and join a community conversation with fellow musicians reflecting on Al Sears’s enduring influence.
The day’s schedule:
Noon – Doors open, bar service begins, and Sandra’s Authentic Mexican Food Truck will be serving throughout the celebration.
2:00 p.m. – Community Conversation on Our Front Porch: A discussion on Al Sears’s impact on music, integration, and the music industry, featuring Yoseph Henry, jazz musicians Whitney Ashe and John Cooper, and Bill Maakestad, one of the festival’s founders.
3:30 p.m. – Concert: Yoseph Henry takes the stage with his powerhouse band for a performance showcasing his dynamic voice and commanding stage presence.
Held in the Museum’s indoor and air-conditioned Our Front Porch space, the afternoon offers a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere to learn about a local musical legend’s influence on today’s artists, followed by live music in an intimate setting.
The Al Sears Music Fest honors the legacy of Al Sears (1910–1990), a pioneering saxophonist, songwriter, and entrepreneur who performed with Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, and other jazz greats, while also helping shape early rock-and-roll as a producer and music executive.
Throughout the weekend, visitors can explore exhibits of photographs, recordings, and artifacts from Sears’s career, from his early performances to his groundbreaking work as an industry leader with ABC Paramount.
Bring your family, invite your friends, and celebrate Al Sears and Macomb’s unique place in American music history. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Performing Arts Society.
The Western Illinois Museum is located at 201 S. Lafayette Street, one block south of Macomb’s Courthouse Square. The building is fully accessible with free accessible parking.
For information, call 309-837-2750, text 309-837-2613, or email
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About Yoseph Henry
Born and raised in Chicago, Yoseph Henry developed a passion for music early, later falling in love with jazz in high school. After serving in Iraq, he began performing on the secular stage with guidance from the late Ginger Tam, Paul Marinaro, and Rose Collela, sharing stages with Jeremy Khan, Joe Policastro, and other Chicago jazz talents. In 2007, a chance meeting with composer Renee Baker led to collaborations with her and the Chicago Modern Orchestra Project.
Henry has since worked with artists including Dee Alexander, Rajiv Halim, Marquis Hill, Adam Ness, Kiara Lanier, Angel Anise, and the late Saalik Ziyad, with performances at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Symphony Center, and Bloomington’s historic Jazz Upfront.
Returning to school in 2018, Henry earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies from Western Illinois University and a Master of Music in Performance from Western Michigan University. He has performed with Western Illinois’s Jazz Studio Orchestra and Western Michigan's renowned vocal ensemble, Gold Company, and has studied under Dr. John Cooper, Dr. Whitney Ashe, Greg Jasperse, and Duane Davis. His career includes sharing the stage with Michael Mayo, Dan Miller, Ashlin Parker, Darmon Meader and Peter Eldridge of The New York Voices, Alan Baylock, and more.
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