The University of Minnesota, Morris is steeped in a tradition of high quality jazz music. Under the direction of Dustin Retzlaff, Morris has two large jazz ensembles and numerous jazz combos for academic credit. The ensembles consist of both music majors and nonmajors who are interested in furthering their knowledge of jazz music while fine-tuning their musicianship and communication and leadership skills through practice, rehearsals, recordings, and performance opportunities.
The jazz ensembles study a variety of literature from the early big band transcriptions of Fletcher Henderson and Duke Ellington to modern compositions by Maria Schneider, Bob Mintzer, and Bob Brookmeyer. Jazz Ensemble 1 meets every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11:45 a.m. until 12:50 p.m. in HFA 180. Jazz Ensemble 2 meets every Tuesday and Thursday from noon until 12:50 p.m. in HFA 180.
Although preparing jazz standards is an important element in the jazz combos, both instrumental and vocal jazz combos are encouraged to find their own innovative approach to the music they present at performances. Each combo schedules a weekly one-hour rehearsal to meet without the instructor to accomplish specific performance oriented tasks. Each week, the combos perform for each other in a master class directed by the instructor on Tuesday evening from 6 until 7 p.m. in the HFA Recital Hall. The instructor presents a weekly lecture on a chosen topic such as jazz history, improvisation, arranging, and performance practice.
Along with the curricular aspects of the ensembles, the Morris jazz program takes an active role in promoting jazz in the community as well as nationally and internationally. Over the past 20 years, the Morris jazz ensembles have performed for many music conventions including the MMEA convention in Minneapolis and the NCMENC in Chicago. They have also performed internationally at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland (1991, 1997, 2000, 2004, and 2008), The North Sea Jazz Festival at The Hague, Netherlands (1994, 1997, and 2008), the Vienne Jazz Festival in Vienne, France (2004), and at Carnegie Hall with The Count Basie Orchestra (1992). The Jazz Ensembles schedule tours,and have performed throughout the state of Minnesota and at the Elmhurst Jazz Festival in Elmhurst, Illinois.
The Jazz Festival, founded by Jim “Doc” Carlson, is in its 34th year. The educational, noncompetitive event attracts world-renowned jazz artists to Morris each spring. High school, community, and college jazz ensembles are invited to take part in three days of clinics and master classes by internationally recognized musicians. Each day concludes with a feature performance of the Morris jazz ensembles and the guest artists.
Membership in the Morris jazz ensembles and jazz combos is open to all Morris students. Auditions are held each semester on the Monday and Tuesday before classes begin. The auditions consist of a prepared piece of music in a jazz style that is less than three minutes in length, sight reading, and an optional improvised solo on a jazz standard of the student’s choice.
Photographs by Ronald Anthony Kubik
