If you step inside Beavercreek High School on Thursday, March 6- Saturday, March 8, you may feel like you've been transported to New Orleans.

While you won't be in the birthplace of jazz, you will be in the midst of some very talented jazz musicians, both seasoned professionals and high school standouts.

Young jazz musicians from high schools in a tri-state area will be rubbing elbows with professionals during the Beavercreek Music Parents Association's eighth annual Weekend of Jazz, "Where the Future of Jazz Meets the Legends of Jazz!"

The headliners of this year's WOJ are Grammy-winning saxophonist and composer Jeff Coffin and his band, Mu'tet, and O'2L (pronounced o-tool), two diverse artists from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Jane Mangini and Al Pietrelli.

Coffin, who will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, March 7 in the school's auditorium, has traveled the world as a member of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and he'll be joined at WOJ by fellow Flecktones Victor Wooten on bass as well as guitarist Mike Seal and Futureman, Roy Wooten, on his guitar-shaped invention called a Drumitar.

Taking the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 8, O'2L, will present their eclectic blend of jazz, world, rock, fun, electronics, new age and chill music.

Pianist/keyboardist/sound designer Jane Mangini also works as a sound designer/composer for Bang Music in New York City.

A classically trained musician, guitarist Al Pitrelli made his mark in the rock world with groups such as Megadeth, Savatage, Alice Cooper and Asia in addition to being the musical director for Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

As in the past, the Saturday schedule will feature half-hour performances by 12 to 15 jazz bands from high schools in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky.

On Thursday, March 6, the Beavercreek schools' jazz bands, from the high school and Ferguson and Ankeney middle schools, will kick off the festival, performing in an open clinic at 7 p.m., which is free and open to the public.

The Saturday events begin at 8:15 a.m. with an opening ceremony, followed by the half-hour high school band concerts.

The day will end with a 5 p.m. performance by the Central State University Jazz Band and then a 5:30 p.m. performance by the University of Dayton Jazz Ensemble.

While the high school band concerts are free, tickets are required for the headliner concerts on Friday, March 7- Saturday March 8.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $15 for students. They can be purchased online at the WOJ Web site, www.weekendofjazz.org/tickets, or by calling (937) 458-3828.

For more information about the WOJ, check the festival's Web site at www.weekendofjazz.org.

The Weekend of Jazz is supported in part by grants and assistance from the Greene County Community Foundation, Culture Works and WDSJ-FM Smooth Jazz (106.5), and donations.

Contact this columnist at dsb@donet.com.