NIU Music alums performed with The Redwalls on ‘Tonight Show'

DeKALB - Two alumni of the Northern Illinois University School of Music perform Tuesday on NBC's &#8220The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Baritone saxophonist Tony Kidonakis and alto saxophonist Rich Moore helped flesh out the live sound of The Redwalls, an up-and-coming rock 'n' roll band from Chicago. The trio also includes tenor saxophonist Jeff Snyder, who plays with Kidonakis in the Chicago swing band The Rhythm Rockets. &#8220Words can't describe how cool this is. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Moore, who plays professionally with jazz and salsa groups around Chicago and teaches private lessons. &#8220To be able to perform in a situation like this is huge. All my friends are going to be watching.” Kidonakis, the elementary school band director in Downers Grove, organized the trio at the request of Scott Ligon, who's been adding keyboards to live sound of The Redwalls. Ligon and Kidonakis are members of a four-piece cover band called The Federales. &#8220They're strictly two guitars, bass and drums - four guys - but on their new record, ‘De Nova,' there's a lot of vintage keyboard sounds: Hammond B3, Wurlitzer. On a few of the tunes, there's also saxophone, which was performed by the guy who mutli-tracked it,” Kidonakis said. &#8220For the live shows, to really do these songs some justice, they've used two or three horns.” The NIU-dominated sax trio first joined The Redwalls on stage in June for a sold-out CD release part at Cabaret Metro in Chicago. The expanded band will play &#8220Build A Bridge,” a song Kidonakis said &#8220almost gives a nod to an old soul tune, like Otis Redding. Most of their music is pretty guitar-driven, but this particular song has a really strong sax texture.” Kidonakis, Moore and Snyder flew to California Tuesday for the afternoon taping. They were on a return flight to Chicago when the program actually aired, he said, &#8220but we have lots of our friends and family who are taping it.” For Kidonakis and Moore, their musical journey together began at NIU in 1997. Later, as juniors, they were accepted into the legendary and internationally renowned NIU Jazz Ensemble. Founded in 1969, it has enjoyed an outstanding global reputation since, touring the world, earning countless awards and soliciting warm adoration from greats such as Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie and Quincy Jones. Chicago Tribune jazz critic Howard Reich recently praised the &#8220dynamically aggressive” ensemble: &#8220The muscularity of its sound is now matched by the acuity of its technique; the energy of its rhythms are complemented by the stylistic authenticity of its phrasing, voicing and instrumental coloring.” For more information on the NIU School of Music, visit www.niu.edu/music.