Jazz Ensemble hosts guest concert

The San Jose Jazz Orchestra will play at the Guest Artist Concert.

Jazz Ensemble will be hosting its annual Jazz Ensemble Guest Artist Concert on Saturday, March 27. The concert will take place from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the Eagle Theatre.

This year’s event will invite the San Jose Jazz Orchestra, of which Music Department Director Ted Ferrucci is currently a member. The San Jose Jazz Orchestra is a local flagship ensemble, featuring world-renowned musicians who also happen to reside in the Silicon Valley.

According to Ferrucci, the Music Department has hosted the Guest Artist Concert for the past 11 years he has been at the school and has even featured Grammy-winning artists in the past.

“I think if there’s one event that a non-musical student would want to attend, they would definitely enjoy this [concert] the most,” Ferrucci said. “It’s going to be a really high energy concert from start to finish very audience-friendly.”

The show’s first set will open with second jazz ensemble’s debut, and its first performance of this year. Over the course of the show, the audience will also hear pieces played by both advanced jazz ensemble and the San Jose Jazz Orchestra, including “The Narrows,” a piece written by San Jose’s bassist Gus Kambeitz. Other compositions to be played at the concert include “Brazil,” arranged by Michael Philip Mossman, and “Tuning Up,” arranged by Toshiko Akiyoshi.

“It’s probably my favorite concert of the year because we get to play with talented professional musicians,” senior Tim Neiman said.

Before the night concert takes place, master classes and workshops will be held during the afternoon. Members of the San Jose Jazz Orchestra will lead these classes. During this time, professionals will be teaching and working alongside students in the Jazz Ensemble.

“It’s really cool because all of the people that come to work with us on songs are close friends with [Ferrucci], and they’re super helpful,” junior Jordan Hamel said.

In preparation for its Guest Artist Concert, members of Jazz Ensemble also had the opportunity to work with Kambeitz directly on his piece.

“Right now we’re still working up our own set of music and sorting through the pieces we’re going to play, but all the groups sound really great,” Ferrucci said. “Our advanced jazz ensemble is one of the best I’ve had in all my years.”

The concert will run an estimated 2 hours and 30 minutes, according to Ferrucci. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students and may be purchased at the door prior to the performance.