OREGON JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Paul Krueger, director
The Oregon Jazz Ensemble is the premier large jazz ensemble at the University of Oregon. Recognized throughout the nation for its excellence in interpretation and performance of the wide variety of styles of music associated with the jazz genre, the OJE regularly performs new literature for jazz ensemble including works by internationally renowned composers/arrangers as well as students of the UO jazz program. In addition to its concerts on campus, the OJE is a frequent performer at jazz festivals and educational conferences, including the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference, Oregon Music Educators Conference, the Northwest MENC Conference, Western International Band Conference, Kent-Meridian Jazz Festival, Reno Jazz Festival , Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and other regional events.
Performing with the OJE in recent years have been a host of jazz artists including: Julian Lage, Ben Wendel, Walter Smith III, Seamus Blake, Ingrid Jensen, John Hollenbeck, Theo Bleckman, Don Braden, James Moody, Randy Brecker, Peter Erskine, Ron MIles, Dick Oatts, Jon Faddis, Rufus Reid, Billy Pierce, Conrad Herwig, Jim Snidero, David Scott, Maria Schneider, Paul Mazzio, David Pietro, Bobby Shew, Luis Bonilla, Shane Endsley, and Kaveh Rastegar. In 2014 and 2018, the OJE toured Europe with invitations to and performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland; the Vienne Jazz Festival in Vienne, France; the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy; and the La Spezia Jazz Festival in La Spezia, Italy.
JAZZ LAB BANDS
Paul Krueger, director
The Jazz Lab Bands at the University of Oregon, like the Oregon Jazz Ensemble, exist to train our students to be solid performers in all musical styles associated with jazz. UO Jazz Lab Bands perform regularly both on and off campus, including formal concerts each term. Membership is open to all UO students.
JAZZ ARTS OREGON
Keith Brown, director
The JazzArts Oregon ensemble is a small group of student musicians representing the University of Oregon’s Jazz Studies Program in concerts throughout the region. Ensemble members are chosen annually in a group audition prior to the beginning of each school year. The auditions are judged by a panel led by the Director of Jazz Studies.
The Herbert T. Merker Scholarship Endowment
A scholarship fund has generously been established by Herb Merker to support JazzArts Oregon. Hebert T. Merker Jazz Scholarship recipients comprise the group for the duration of their award year receiving scholarships of app. $1000 for the academic year.
JAZZ COMBOS
Paul Krueger, coordinator
Small jazz ensembles are at the center of the jazz curriculum at the School of Music and Dance They offer serious students a place for honing improvisation skills in ensembles that examine both standard jazz repertoire as well as original and transcribed material. Ensembles are coached by faculty and graduate teaching fellows. The curriculum focuses on performance techniques, improvisational methods, theory, and styles associated with the jazz idiom. The rehearsal schedule will be determined at the end of the Week of Welcome, based on the availability of both the students and the instructors.
LATIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE
Ken Mastrogiovanni, director
The UO Latin Jazz Ensemble offers all UO students the opportunity to develop skills in Afro-Cuban and Brazilian performance practice. In addition to their primary instrument, student ensemble members are asked to understand the roles of and to play the traditional hand percussion instruments in each genre studied. As with all of the jazz ensembles, membership is open to all UO full-time and continuing education students by audition, and performs at least once per term.
JAZZ GUITAR ENSEMBLE
Avery Scanlon, director
Jazz guitar ensemble is an outlet for intermediate to advanced students (typically 4 – 5) who must have permission from the instructor in order to enroll. The goals are to increase music reading skills, ensemble blend and improvisation. The repertoire consists of published arrangements for guitar ensemble and students are encouraged to bring in their own arrangements as well as any jazz lead sheets on which to work. Performances may be scheduled throughout the year and this also fulfills a large ensemble requirement