The most prestigious form of LT’s jazz program, the Jazz Ensemble, was showcased at a recording session last December. Led by Assistant Division of Fine Arts, Jazz Ensemble Director and music teacher Mark Dahl, the ensemble is also preparing for the upcoming jazz concert on March 4, collaborating with other jazz bands and a special guest. 

Jazz Ensemble is the most selective of the three jazz bands at LT, along with Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Band. It is open to juniors and seniors and is a class at NC. The band receives many musical opportunities that the other jazz bands may not necessarily have. Members work to get more comfortable performing their instruments and to learn new styles of jazz. 

“[The Jazz Ensemble] truly feels like a little family,” Jazz Ensemble member Maddie Curin ‘27 said. “It really lifts my mood when I walk into Jazz Ensemble every day.”

A sense of community is essential to creating good music, Dahl said. The group often works well together and is practically known for its collaborations.

Last December, the ensemble participated in a recording session as an application to a special program offered by Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The program makes six Duke Ellington transcriptions available for free to high schools worldwide. Ellington was a world-renowned jazz bandleader who defied and challenged racist stereotypes as an African American musician in the early 20th century. Students record three of the pieces and are evaluated by jazz education experts and professional jazz musicians, Dahl said. The top 20 groups, worldwide, are invited to a special competition in New York City. 

The LT Jazz Ensemble was previously selected in 2015. The band has played with several high-profile artists throughout its history, including Mark Colby, Doug Stone, Tom Garling, Neal Alger, and Tito Carrillo. The ensemble has also been a part of special performances and clinics with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and the Northern Illinois University Jazz Ensemble.

“[The recording session] is a great experience for the students to play the music of a jazz master, like Duke Ellington,” Dahl said. “And the recording session provides them a glimpse of the level of professionalism needed to create a quality live recording.”

A technician also helped with the overall process and equipment. The session was an overall success, and the ensemble is still awaiting a possible invitation to the competition.

The ensemble is now preparing for a special concert in March. The band will host their winter jazz concert at NC. In addition to these performances, the Jazz Ensemble will also perform with famous jazz guitarist and composer Bobby Broom. Born and raised in Harlem, Broom is known for his sophisticated, soulful style and is celebrated for leading the Bobby Broom Trio and Deep Blue Organ Trio. Broom will collaborate with students on the day of and perform with them that evening, Dahl said. 

“We’ve been practicing a few new songs with [Broom,]” Jazz Ensemble member Dorothy Rolek ‘27 said. “[Broom] is going to come play with us, so that’s going to be really fun.”

All jazz bands will perform at the winter concert on March 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the NC Reber Center. The concert is free and open to the public. The ensemble is ready to showcase its musical skills to the LT community.

“I would say that concerts are always a highlight of being in the music program, and I’m looking forward to our next one,” Jazz Ensemble member Claire Stahl ‘27 said.