Next Stop Omaha

Tonight, Dan and I are going to be featured with the University of Nebraska at Omaha Jazz Ensemble. This is a big band led by Dr. Pete Madsen and filled with great young kids who love jazz. We will be playing original big band music I wrote and some of Dave’s tunes that I have arranged over the years. It is wonderful to play with these kids and help pass the torch to this upcoming generation of Jazz musicians, and is beautiful to see how much these students love Jazz. It brings them joy and camaraderie, embracing them and allowing them to express their personal creativity while playing with their enthusiastic peers. Chuck Lamb and Mike DeMicco are busy all day judging and giving feedback to College and High School Jazz combos which are taking part in the Great Plains Jazz Festival. Then Dan and I will join them this afternoon in giving a masterclass for young Jazz musicians. It is uplifting to be taking part in this Festival and seeing and hearing so many young musicians excited about Jazz, not to mention how much fun it is to be playing with them!