UWEC alumni Keith Karns, nationally recognized composer, bandleader, and musician, and his big band jazz ensemble is coming to the Chippewa Valley May 14. The group will be playing at the Grand Little Theatre in downtown Eau Claire. Karns, an Alaskan born trumpet player, studied music at UWEC as well as Indiana University’s Jacob’s School of Music. He is the leader of a quartet and a large jazz ensemble both of which are based out of Bloomington, Indiana where he currently resides. For this particular show, Keith will be joined by many other Eau Claire alums such as trumpeters Jeff Walk and Paul Stodolka, saxophonist Aaron Hedenstrom, and pianist Steve Hobert. In addition to attending UWEC, many of the ensemble’s members were also a part of the university’s Jazz I ensemble. The show will consist of Karns’ original compositions and arrangements. The show is at 8pm and costs $5.