Tomorrow night at 8 p.m. Eisenhower Auditorium will rock, bop, swing and groove to the jazz groups Liz Story and Montreux.

These two bands offer a wide range of jazz styles, from the more traditional- type offered by Liz Story to the as-yet-unlabeled sound of Montreux. Together, these artists will satisfy a wide variety of musical tastes, performing freely under the wide label of "jazz."

The style of the group Montreux has been examined by many jazz lovers, but a predominating influence cannot be pinned down. Barbara Higbie, who has been performing with the band since its birth in 1984 despite other member changes, said Montreux is influenced by practically all the different styles of music, including pop, folk, and bluegrass.

"They have definitely a more non-traditional jazz style than Liz Story," said Dan Yoder, associate professor of music.

Liz Story, who will perform for half the evening, has a definite classic jazz style. Nominated for a Grammy Award in 1987 for her compositions, she combines her classical piano training with inspired improvisations.

Higbie was also trained in classical piano, but has been performing her own distinct style of music since she was young. Her family left her home state of Illinois and traveled with the Peace Corps to Africa, where she found inspiration for her art. "I was struck by the role that music plays in the daily lives of the African people,"she said.

After spending some time in Paris at the Sorbonne, she returned to West Africa. Now she resides in the U.S., composing and performing solo or with Montreux.

The title for the band's latest album, Let Them Say was Higbie's idea. "It's an African saying, 'let them say' ," she said. "It means that people are going to talk no matter what you do," so you should just do your own thing.

That philosophy is clearly shown in Montreux's music. The unrestrained compositions can be explained by the diverse backgrounds and training of the band members. While Higbie's training had a classical emphasis, "Michael (Manring) is more influenced by pop," Higbie said. The group's percussionist, Tom Miller, gives the music a south-of-the-border undertone. When combined with the other members and their sometimes off-beat instruments , including Mike Marshall's mandolin and Michael Manring's electric fretless bass, the music acquires its intriguing flair.

Higbie performs mainly on the piano, sometimes switching to violin, celtic harp, or adding her vocal talents.

The non-distinct style of Montreux's music has earned them much attention and praise, including a 1987 Grammy nomination. "The music is nice for a change from the boom boom boom of heavy metal," said Lisa Grieco (senior-print journalism).

Montreux and Liz Story will undoubtedly satisfy the diverse Penn State musical preferences. "I'm definitely looking forward to performing at Penn State," Higbie said. "We'll have a lot of fun."