Have you ever had your jazz band guitarist ask you how to voice a G13 chord? Do you wonder how you can get your guitarist to get “that” sound in your jazz ensemble? “What the Heck is a C??” is a clinic session designed to help directors guide their beginning and intermediate jazz guitarists through the first few years of playing jazz guitar in a jazz ensemble. We'll cover topics such as good chord voicings to play, gear comparisons, and setup considerations.
Brendan Frank
- Biographical Information
Brendan Frank is a Chicago-based musician, educator, songwriter, and performer. While maintaining a rigorous teaching and performing schedule, Brendan has performed sold-out concerts across the United States and internationally at venues such as the House of Blues and Metro Chicago, CMA Festival in Nashville, and music appearances on WGN, ABC 7, and NPR’s WBEZ.
Brendan has been the Director of Bands at Antioch Upper Grade School in Antioch, IL since 2010. There, he continues to inspire students to be lifelong patrons of the arts through a performance-centered instrumental program. Student involvement grew in the Band program from 98 students in 2010 to 186 students in 2025, and ensembles under his direction were recognized at the county and state level for their excellence. In addition to his duties as band director, he also reestablished an extracurricular Jazz Band, designed and implemented a two-tiered group guitar program, and initiated a Music Technology course that uses iPads as the primary instrument.
Brendan received his Bachelors in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his Master’s in Music Education from Eastern Illinois University. He continues to maintain a passion for music education and is an active educator and clinician throughout the Chicagoland area.