 The University of Nebraska at Kearney Jazz Rock Ensemble, one of the top performing and touring groups on campus, serves as a laboratory for music students to hone their jazz performance skills and as a small ensemble for university students who want to play big band jazz. The instrumentation consists of five saxophones, four trombones, five trumpets, two keyboard players who double on synthesizers, electric bass, electric guitar, and two percussionists. All university students are eligible to audition for the ensemble during the first week of the fall semester.
The Ensemble rehearses on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 to 12:15, and each section rehearses individually once each week. During the fall semester, the band prepares the music to be played on a Fall Concert in December, as well as various concert appearances across the state.
In February, the Jazz Rock Ensemble tours to various high schools across the state performing music from all the various historical periods of jazz in the big band.
The spring concert program presents very challenging contemporary jazz works in differing styles with a concentration on charts from the last decade. The ensemble's book features charts by professional bands like those of Rob McConnel and the Boss Brass, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Bob Florence’s Limited Edition, Louie Bellson, North Texas University One O’Clock Lab Band, University of Northern Colorado Jazz Lab Band I, Airmen of Note, Dallas Jazz Orchestra, Count Basie, Les Brown, Pat Metheny, Duke Ellington, Chick Corea, and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis.
The writers and arrangers of the music for the UNK Jazz Rock Ensemble are Mike Crotty, Tom Kubis, Bob Curnow, Bob Mintzer, Frank Mantooth, Les Hooper, Bill Holman, Bennie Carter, Lonnie Niehaus, Don Sebeski, George Stone, Sammy Nestico, Matt Harris, Mark Taylor, Ian McDougall, Dave Barduhn, Neal Finn, Gordon Goodwin, John LaBarbara, Tommy Newsom, Don Menza, Curt Berg, Bob Lowden, and many other fine writers.
Occasionally the Ensemble participates in national jazz festivals like the University of Northern Colorado/Greeley Jazz Festival, where it won a superior rating and five outstanding soloist awards in its last appearance. The Ensemble has performed for the Nebraska Music Educators Association and for the Lincoln Jazz Festival.
Concert Calendar. For more information, contact Jim Payne (email: paynej@unk.edu)
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