The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic (CJP) was born out of an invitation to Artistic Director Orbert Davis from the Jazz Institute of Chicago to “think big” when planning his appearance at the 2004 Jazz Festival. This performance marked the first time for a resident Chicago Jazz artist to headline the festival, not to mention, being accompanied by a 55-piece jazz orchestra. The scope and scale of the performance was certainly unlike anything the Chicago Jazz Festival has ever witnessed.