Local music lover Charlie Carroll has pursued a dream for a number of years. That would be the establishment of a Littleton Jazz Festival. It will take place at Town Hall Arts Center on Aug. 28, with four different ensembles scheduled from 6 to 10 p.m.

The past two years, Carroll, now a Highlands Ranch resident after living many years in Littleton, has booked a Jazz Festival performance as part of the Fine Arts Series at Littleton United Methodist Church, where he is a member and sings in the choir.

He has formed a board and established a 501 (c) foundation.

The four-hour festival is this year’s next step in the process. The program will offer contrasting ways of interpreting this uniquely American music.

Town Hall’s acoustics are so well suited to instrumental music that music fans are delighted to see it featured there.

Pianist Purnell Steen and Le Jazz Machine will lead off with the ensemble’s distinctive mix of vocal and instrumental jazz and a guest visit by Steen’s cousin, legendary bassist Charles Burrell. Steen’s band plays regularly at Dazzle in Denver, and makes many other appearances, including City Park Jazz. Burrell, 82, who appears with Steen when he can, is retired from the Colorado Symphony. He is one of the first African American musicians to break the color barrier in large orchestra classical music but has always loved and performed jazz as well.

Ellyn Rucker will appear next, on piano and vocals with her quartet . She has been performing in the Denver area and nationally since 1979. Joining Rucker on Aug. 28 will be versatile Rich Chiaraluce, who may play saxophone, clarinet and flute in the course of a performance. He plays with the Colorado Symphony pops concerts; clarinet with the Artie Shaw Orchestra; alto with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra; with local bands and with many well-known singers.

Saxophonist and band leader Keith Oxman is scheduled third with his quartet. He has recorded on the Colorado-based Capri label since 1996, including a combination of originals and jazz standards. His style on the latest, “Dues in Progress,” is described by writer Michael Gladstone as “Straightahead/Mainstream/Bop/Hard Bop/Cool.”

Rounding out the evening will be the 18-piece Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, which draws together many fine Denver area jazz musicians to play big band favorites from the ’40s and ’50s as well as Latin and current New York/Los Angeles favorites.

Littleton Jazz Festival will be held at Town Hall Arts Center, 2450 W. Main St., Downtown Littleton. Scheduled from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, August 28. Tickets cost $25, $20 seniors. 303-794-2787, www.townhallartscenter.com.