Concert Jazz Ensemble and Jazz II will be playing Thursday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
鈥淭here鈥檚 really something for everyone in the upcoming Oct. 11 jazz concert,鈥� says Concert Jazz Ensemble Director and Associate Professor of Jazz Studies Paul McKee. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 programming music for the ensembles, I always try to find a range of music that鈥檚 entertaining to audience members who may not know much about jazz but will challenge people who regularly listen to it.鈥�
From well-known pieces by established American composers to tunes by new composers, audience members can expect to hear a variety of jazz on Thursday, Oct. 11. 鈥淭here鈥檚 traditional swing, contemporary pieces, some Latin pieces too. It鈥檚 a variety of tempos and styles that will create a wonderful evening of music,鈥� says McKee.
The fall concert is exciting in particular, as returning students are working with new students to find their fit with one another in these various ensembles. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 band is exceptional. They鈥檝e come together really quickly and have formed a strong chemistry, so it鈥檚 exciting to hear them play like they鈥檝e been at it forever,鈥� says McKee. Because of this, McKee found pieces that feature each member at some point of the Concert Jazz Ensemble performance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great challenge to be part of a such a big group with your own individual sound,鈥� says doctoral student and trumpeter Jonathan Saraga. Along with playing in the Concert Jazz Ensemble, Saraga and alto saxophone player Lexi Nomikos have the opportunity to direct Jazz Ensemble II and have been preparing the group of students for the performance while also preparing themselves.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a pleasure to work with the young musicians,鈥� says Saraga. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have to be in the Jazz II ensemble, but these talented students want to and they鈥檙e very enthusiastic about being part of the process.鈥�
鈥淭hey play really well together already, and for a group of 16 people that鈥檚 impressive,鈥� says Nomikos. Nomikos and Saraga act as mentors to these students, guiding them through the nuances and details that will help them sound like a professional group. 鈥淚t's exciting to get to that point where the band is听able to pay attention to little details and dynamics to sound better as a group,鈥� says Nomikos.
Some students that Saraga and Nomikos have been working with will have the opportunity to perform a solo piece in the upcoming concert, like junior jazz piano major Ben Thompson.
鈥淚 think, in general, it鈥檚 one of the very small steps we take in order to get to the next level that we want to be at,鈥� Thompson says in regard to his solo in the October concert. 鈥淚t truly is a never-ending staircase, but the process of being able to work on something with a group of people from start to finish and then expressing it is really nice and allows for improvement on many levels.鈥�
The Thompson Jazz Studies Program at the College of Music focuses on preparing students for professional careers, whether in the greater Denver area or nationally. It鈥檚 unique that members of the jazz program get to perform so regularly, between combos, special events like CU Bernstein at 100 and upcoming concerts.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very supportive atmosphere for the faculty and students, coming together to develop a language to communicate with people,鈥� says McKee. 鈥淭hat language just happens to be jazz.鈥�
The Concert Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble II performance is Thursday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Grusin Music Hall. For more information, visit .
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