Laissez les bons temps rouler! Mardi Gras & jazz

Hot! -- Mardi Gras party at Ida Noyes Hall

On Friday, Feb. 16, the University's Mardi Gras party will heat up Ida Noyes Hall from 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Finger foods, veggies, desserts and other refreshments will be available throughout the building as guests explore three floors of fun. Vance Kelly will bring his blues wisdom to the first-floor library; Robin Lacy's zydeco band will rock your gumbo in the Cloister Club; and a live DJ will be giving up the funk in the third-floor theater. In addition, face painting and tarot-card reading will be offered, and Antique Photographic will be taking and giving away "old-time" pictures of the evening.

The free party, sponsored by the Council on University Programming, is open to students, faculty and staff with UCID. For more information, call the Student Activities Office at 702-9554.

Swinging! -- Chicago Jazz Ensemble at Mandel Hall

The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, conducted by William Russo, will present its second annual Mardi Gras concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, in Mandel Hall. The ensemble will perform an evening of New Orleans music by Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington and King Oliver, plus tunes by Count Basie, Woody Herman and others.

Before the concert, from 6:30 p.m to 7:30 p.m., noted essayist and jazz critic Stanley Crouch will give a lecture. Crouch's most recent book of essays is The All-American Skin Game (1995).

Russo, director of Columbia College Chicago's contemporary American music program, has written two textbooks on jazz composition published by the Press, which is co-sponsoring the event.

A party, featuring dancing and door prizes, will follow the concert. Tickets for the whole event are $20 general admission, $10 for students and seniors. Tickets for the lecture only are $10, $7 for students and seniors. Call 461-9708 for ticket information. Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster at 559-1212.

!Caliente! -- Carnaval at International House

International House will host its traditional Brazilian "Carnaval" dance party from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 24 (note change of date).

A Brazilian band will provide hours of dance music surrounded by tumbling streamers and bright decorations. Guests are encouraged to wear festive costumes. Admission is $10, food is included, and only those over 21 will be admitted.

Cool! -- Jazz X-tet at Goodspeed Recital Hall

The University X-tet jazz ensemble, under the direction of Mwata Bowden, will present its winter concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25, in Goodspeed Recital Hall. The program will feature a set of classic tunes composed by Eric Dolphy, Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman and other distinguished American jazz composers.

Admission is free. Call the Department of Music Concert Hotline at 702-8069 for more information.