Adult and High School Jazz Combos

The combo program is the backbone of the Adult and High School Instrumental Program. There are 6 to 8 combos, each themed to an influential jazz composer or artist, in which students of similar experience gather under the direction of a jazz educator to study.

There will be daily combo rehearsals of this themed music, resulting in performances in a jazz club on the Sunday and Monday evenings following the workshop. These performances are open invitations to students' friends and relatives to hear their progress with their group. Every year, this is one of the entertaining highlights of the Summer Jazz Week experience.

On the introductory Monday of Summer Jazz Week, the first activity is a combo placement hour in which students have the opportunity to be placed in a combo. They will be asked to play a melody to demonstrate their proficiency on their instrument and will be given the option to improvise if they wish. It is not necessary for beginners to improvise; you do not have a background in improvisation to attend. We are here to teach you. This hour is a quick and hopefully painless one.

By lunch on Monday, groups are chosen based on where we feel students will empowered to learn, and rehearsals begin immediately. Most combos have 3 to 5 horns and a rhythm section of guitar, piano, bass, and drums. Sheet music is provided to all instrumentalists. No students are expected to learn their music by ear.

We attempt to place adults with other adults and high school students with other high school students, making exceptions when necessary. Students can rehearse combo music in practice rooms and also have take-home music to practice on their own time. Because combo results are not known until the first afternoon of the workshop, it is impossible to give students their music before the workshop begins.

Because jazz has its origins in improvisation and small-group playing, this is a great way for students to connect with the roots and fundamentals of the music. Even students who are used to big band environments will benefit in numerous ways by focusing on musicality, feel, and communication. This is a safe space to find your creative, musical self in jazz.