“You want them to love the music, to grow as a person. It has nothing really to do with scales!” –Kelly Rossum

Dakota Combo with Bobby Watson © Andrea Canter

Relative to the area population as well as to the overall popularity of the music, jazz education opportunities in the Twin Cities appear to be among the best in the nation. This perception was reinforced over the past year with the residencies of the Brubeck Institute Fellows in fall 2005 and the Thelonious Monk Institute’s Peer to Peer Jazz Education program in spring 2006. Beyond these “imported” marquee projects, the Twin Cities area boasts such programs as the Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth (MITY) jazz band, the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band, the Twin Cities Jazz Workshop, and programs through the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education, MacPhail Center for Music, Walker West Music Academy, West Bank School of Music, high school jazz bands, and of course programs at the University of Minnesota, McNally Smith College, and other area college music departments. MacPhail alone employs 24 jazz faculty, and many local performers spend considerable time in the classroom or private instruction studio.

Impressed with the success of the Brubeck and Monk programs in reaching high school music students, two of the Twin Cities’ leading proponents of jazz education, The Dakota Foundation and MacPhail, joined together this fall to sponsor a local “all-star” jazz ensemble, a group of accomplished high school musicians who would learn and work together with eminent trumpeter and jazz educator, Kelly Rossum, perform on a club stage with legendary guest artist, Bobby Watson, and participate in a clinic with other area students. Auditions for the Dakota Combo were held in September; following an intense round of rehearsals in October and November, the septet appeared on the Dakota Jazz Club stage on December 1^st; the open clinic was held at the Dakota the next morning. And the Combo is booked for appearances at the Dakota Foundation annual benefit (January 28, 2007) and at the 2007 Hot Summer Jazz Festival.

The Dakota Foundation has been involved in premier education events—the Foundation sponsored the Brubeck and Monk Institutes’ residencies, and, in collaboration with the Schubert Club, has sponsored the annual Jazz Piano Scholarship Competition since 2005. But the Dakota Combo marks its first major collaboration with the MacPhail Center for Music, and its first effort toward supporting a local jazz ensemble. From audition to concert to clinic, the inaugural Combo program has been a boppin’ success.

Selecting the Dakota Combo

Ben, Jack, Daniel and Amber © Andrea Canter

Student musicians enrolled in grades 9-12 were eligible to audition before a panel of area musicians/educators in mid-September. Many of the students who participated in the Dakota Combo auditions played in the Monk Institute’s open student jam at the Dakota last March with Bobby Watson and Lisa Henry, both based in Kansas City. Rossum noted that he was pleased with the number of students participating in the auditions and was impressed with the quality of their efforts, which included at least one selection from a list of jazz standards to be played with the ensemble of judges. “The auditions were extremely competitive and the decisions were carefully thought through,” said Rossum. “I applaud everyone for achieving such a high level of jazz comprehension.” Rossum added that “many of the students’ similar past experiences help to build that high level of comprehension; some students just hadn’t had those experiences yet. For example: jazz combos, big bands, summer camps, private lessons, transcribing, composing, etc.”

In addition to that “jazz comprehension,” the judges were looking for students with “the elusive jazz ‘feel’, plus confidence in their own abilities,” according to Rossum. And boding well for the future, Rossum also noted that he “was particularly impressed by a handful of young (8^th -9^th grade) students who took it upon themselves to try out for the band.” Some of these students would later appear at the clinic with Bobby Watson in early December.

There was no pre-determined configuration for the first edition of the Dakota Combo—envisioned only as an instrumental sextet or septet that would take shape depending on the talents of the musicians who auditioned. Thus the musicians selected for the 2006 Dakota Combo (all high school seniors) form a three-horn septet representing programs from Twin Cities’ high schools:

• Jack Davis (guitar) Minneapolis South High School, has participated in a variety of jazz activities since his brother introduced him to jazz through Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue. He’s attended jazz camp at Indianhead through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, participated in Doug Little’s Twin Cities Jazz Workshop, and played in the MITY Big Band at Macalester College and the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band with David Mitchell. Among his guitar heroes he cites Pat Metheny, Adam Rogers, and Jimmy Page, “among many others.”

• Daniel Duke (bass) attends St. Paul Central High School and is an alum of the Twin Cities Jazz Workshop. He plays with school bands and with a new salsa group, Tropical Zone.

• Ben Link (trombone) also attends St. Paul Central. His interest in jazz was sparked by solo opportunities while still in elementary school, and fueled by 7^th grade band director, Jeff Levine. Ever since, he’s been attracted to the “cool jazz meets bebop kind of stuff.” Ben’s played in both the MITY and Minnesota Youth Symphony since middle school and currently plays in school bands and in a salsa band (Tropical Zone) with classmate Daniel Duke.

• Owen Nelson (alto sax) attends Edina High School. He first encountered jazz when his godfather introduced him to John Coltrane’s Giant Steps, and was soon involved in middle school jazz bands under the direction of Tom Wells. Inspired by Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Stitt, Joshua Redman, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and pianist Michel Camilo, Owen has led a youth band, The Eggz, which has performed throughout the Twin Cities. Owen cites participation in the Shell Lake (WI) Jazz Camp, studies with saxophonists Greg Keel, Kathy Jensen, Doug Little and Brian Grivna, playing with the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band, and three summers at the Berklee College of Music in Boston as key experiences. He also plays with the Edina High School Band and an alternative band, Flick Montana.

• Javier Santiago (piano) attends Watershed High School in Minneapolis and previously was part of the jazz program at South High School. The 2006 winner of the Dakota/Schubert Club Jazz Piano Scholarship Competition, Javier played in youth ensembles such as The Bridge with recent South High graduates Chris Smith and Miguel Hurtado, and is an on-call musician for local bands.

• Nathan Whitley (drums) has played with the St. Paul Central High School Jazz Band since his freshman year, and cites locally-based drummer Dave King (of Happy Apple and the Bad Plus) as his key inspiration. He studies with Zach Miller of the St. Joseph School of Music, and has acquired some performance experience through gigs with Central High (and Dakota Combo) bandmates, Amber Woodhouse and Daniel Duke.

• Amber Woodhouse (tenor sax), another senior at St. Paul Central, traces her interest in jazz to Ramsey Junior High bandleader Jeff Levine. Inspired by the great sax legends, Lester Young, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Rollins, and Cannonball Adderly, as well as Charles Mingus, Amber has studied locally with Chris Thomson and currently with Felix James through Walker West. She’s had plenty of jazz band experience through the Ordway Honor Band (2005, 2006), the St. Thomas Honor Band (2005, 2006), the MITY and Minnesota Youth Jazz programs since 9th grade, and currently with the Walker West Jazz Band.

Directing the Combo

Kelly Rossum © Andrea Canter

Critical to the development of the Combo is director Kelly Rossum. Founder and director of jazz studies at MacPhail, Rossum is also one of the most respected performers, composers and educators in the Twin Cities area and beyond. With degrees from the University of Nebraska, University of North Texas, and University of Minnesota—the latter in Baroque trumpet, Rossum is also one of the most eclectic musicians in town, playing with classical, electronic, and jazz ensembles. His current projects include leading his own quartet and quintet (with which he recently released the highly acclaimed CD, Line), blowing with the Dolphy tribute band, the Out to Lunch Quintet, and performing with Electropolis, an electronic jazz/rock band. But his focus this fall has been on the Combo, his first opportunity to work with a small student ensemble beyond a one-shot experience. “I have a different career than most educators as there is no ‘class’ at a school that I work with over and over, so this was a unique opportunity to be with a group of seniors over time.”

As a group of high school seniors, the Combo also gave Rossum a rare opportunity to work with more seasoned students. “With younger students, I play the entire rehearsal with them, and sometimes we stop to discuss certain aspects of jazz. These musicians [Dakota Combo], you can treat them like adults, like pros, and they take care of business.”

And Rossum treated the Combo rehearsals much as he would a professional ensemble. Of course there were the initial social components that surface whenever a new group comes together. “The students have to get to know each other so they become comfortable and get over the unconscious posturing and trying to be cool…That took us through the first two rehearsals.” Then he introduced the standards that would form the core of the Dakota performance, providing CDs of the original recordings by the likes of Clifford Brown and Wayne Shorter. Once these tunes were familiar, Rossum encouraged the young musicians to bring in their own music and assume the role of leader. “Each student would run the rehearsal when dealing with their own music,” noted Rossum. “It’s part of the learning process, for them to help other students read their charts and make it happen. I let them present their own material to the band because this is what they will have to do in college and in the real world.”

The rehearsals were filled with stops and starts, figuring out soloists, discussing rhythms and dynamics. Improvisation was a key component of the music, but “We did a lot of blowing at the first rehearsal while working on forms and heads,” said Rossum. “We focused on soloing at the last rehearsal. That’s how professional musicians work—we don’t constantly practice improvising—we save that for the show.”

Bobby Watson, Guest Soloist and Educator

Bobby Watson © Andera Canter

One of the highlights of Combo project was the opportunity to collaborate with performer/educator Bobby Watson. The renowned alto saxophonist built his reputation as co-founder of the acoustic ensemble, Horizon, one of the leading jazz bands of the 80s and 90s, and as a founding member of the 29^th Street Saxophone Quartet. His recording credits as leader and sideman are legion. Currently Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Watson continues to work with the Monk Institute’s Jazz in America outreach program.

Unlike his week-long residency with the Monk Institute program last spring, Watson’s role with the Dakota Combo was limited to the Friday afternoon rehearsal, Friday night performance at the Dakota, and Saturday morning open clinic. He had only a few hours to go over the night’s playlist. Said Rossum, “I asked him what he wanted to do, and plugged him on Friday afternoon [final rehearsal]. He did what a jazz teacher should do. If this had been a regular band rehearsing every week, it would be an appropriate way to teach an ensemble throughout the semester. Bobby may have assumed that this band had been together for a couple years! What a compliment to the students! He had ideas for adjusting some of the songs and then played them with the students, and they learned a lot.”

And without exception, Bobby Watson made a lasting impression on his student cohorts. Noted Jack Davis, “Bobby really helped the group get loose. As the set went on, I think we played better and better and I'd say we owe much of that to the energy that Bobby brought to the group.” Added Owen Nelson, “Playing with Bobby taught me about being a good front man. He taught me to be more laid back, interactive with the audience, and showed me a little bit on how to appreciate life as a musician.”

On the Band Stand

Bobby Watson & Owen Nelson © Andera Canter

The hours of rehearsal and listening—to the recordings, to each other, to Rossum and Watson—paid off in rich dividends on December 1^st when the inaugural edition of the Dakota Combo took the stage at the Dakota Jazz Club, playing two full sets for a packed house of relatives, friends, and curious jazz fans. Of the twelve tunes on the set lists, two were composed by Kelly Rossum and three by Combo members (Ben Link, Daniel Duke, Owen Nelson), while Javier Santiago contributed an original arrangement (“Tell Me a Bedtime Story”). Everyone including Bobby Watson had several solo opportunities, but the main attraction –in terms of both sound and instruction—was improvisation. Noted Rossum, “You don’t bring an agenda to the stage. If you make a spontaneous choice at the moment, it comes out differently than if you had planned something ahead of time. Classical music dictates what I have to play, what I practice, but jazz is different. Take the Combo performance of ‘Lead Soldiers’ [Rossum’s composition] from Friday night—Bobby was doing his riffs and the students dug it—they were listening intently and making musical choices right there on the stand.”

Those lamenting the future of jazz would have found considerable solace in The Dakota Combo’s performance. Naturally, youthful energy permeated each solo, but more than that, there were many moments when undeniable talent shined brightly—Amber’s swinging tenor on “Right Now,” Javier’s own arrangement of his piano solo on “Tell Me a Bedtime Story,” Ben’s melodic tromboning on “I’ll Remember April,” Owen Nelson’s tandem exchange with Bobby Watson on “Seduction,” the loping, uptempo melody of Daniel’s “The Honest Brother,” the ensemble’s fire on ‘Night in Tunisia.” As for Bobby Watson, he gave the youngsters plenty of space while nevertheless providing an in vivo clinic, from his elegantly spiraling solo on “I’ll Remember April” to his circular breathing lesson on Owen’s “Herbal Essence.”

The experience of playing at a major club with a major artist at the beginning of his career impressed Javier Santiago. “Playing with the group (and with Bobby) at the Dakota was an enriching experience. We got to play at a great venue and the audience was a lot bigger than I expected, which, personally, was a rare occurrence for me and it helped my playing. Not to mention the fact that we got to play with Bobby Watson free of charge, which was cool.” Added Amber Woodhouse, “The live performance at the Dakota helped build my confidence as a musician as well as a person. During the performance, I could feel myself growing—almost like I was evolving into a better musician.”

And no one was more pleased than Kelly Rossum. “Everything seemed to click and I was happy with it… These are great students! They proved that Friday night [at the Dakota club performance]. They played two full sets of jazz music—that’s really cool.”

Open Clinic

Rhythm Section Rehearsal © Andrea Canter

Compared to a similar program with the Monk Institute musicians in March, there was a small turnout of student musicians at the open clinic on the Saturday morning following the show. Nevertheless, for the handful of teens who participated, the clinic offered a unique opportunity to hear and be heard by one of the genre’s great performing educators. From casual conversation about music to direct instruction and demonstration on stage, Bobby Watson held court, never missing an opening to insert his words of wisdom, constructive criticism, and even a few “homework” assignments.

“Anyone can improvise,” he told the students, “but [you need to] listen to the music on a consistent, regular basis….When musicians listen, we listen with creative intention.” He asked what the students listen to, and was not satisfied by the response, “I listen to everything.” Rather, he proposed that each young musician select a recording that inspired him or her and “make a deep commitment,” to find “a sound that you go after…Pick a jazz record that moves you, a jazz master—preferably one that’s dead! Pick a record between now and the end of the year and live with it!”

Reminding the students that jazz “is a language,” Bobby called a couple tunes as the clinic participants jammed with the Combo. After a run through “All the Things You Are,” Bobby identified another “homework” assignment—memorize! “If you really know the tune, you should know all the chord changes.” Skeptical, Ben asked Bobby if he knew all the chord changes for the tune they just played. Without missing a beat, Bobby rattled off the changes--accurately. He made his point.

Skepticism aside, the “homework” Watson assigned during the clinic was appreciated, as Ben Link noted, “He suggested ways to improve our practice habits and gave us clear-cut instructions about how to listen and play.”

The clinic ended with a jam on Ben’s composition, “Consider This.” It was written for his grandmother who had missed the Friday night performance. She got to hear it Saturday morning.

Lessons Learned

Dakota Combo © Andrea Canter

Once the excitement of the Dakota gig weekend was over, the young musicians reflected on the experience and lessons learned. Working intensively with an ensemble was a challenging experience for the students. Noted Nathan Whitley, “The big thing I've been taught so far is a greater ability to play in a large combo. I had only played in trios and quartets previously and it is a lot harder in a larger group. Playing with such great musicians is also stressful, I really have to concentrate and think about what I'm doing all the time.”

And while it’s hard work, the Combo has provided these very serious artists with an environment that respects their talent and ambitions. Said Ben Link, “There's a professional aspect in that the expectations are set without any leniancy toward missing music, not knowing the song, etc. It's nice to have a clear and sensible standard to work at and not get pulled behind with silly stuff.” That work ethic really paid off, said Owen Nelson: “At the show, I realized how much all of us improved since the first rehearsal... It made me feel great that we achieved this great level of playing from hours and hours of individual practice, and in the end, we could create such great music.”

And perhaps one of the most important lessons learned through the Dakota Combo experience was the importance of support from family and the community. Noted Owen Nelson, “When I performed at the Dakota, I realized that there are so many people who support what we're doing. They support our love for music, and whether they understand it or not, they want us to succeed. There was a ton of people at our show and I'd just like to thank them for supporting us.”

As for Kelly Rossum, he’s eager to build on the initial success of the program. “Next time I’d like to have the program continue as a class into the spring…Now I am prepared to take this to the [Dakota Foundation] Board for next year, because we have a success to build on. I am in this for the long haul—this program will be here ten years down the road. This is a long-term thing.”

The next gig for the Dakota Combo, appropriately, will be at the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education Annual Benefit on January 28^th, to be held at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. The event raises the funds that support programs like the Dakota Combo, the residencies such as those from the Brubeck and Monk Institutes, and scholarships such as the annual joint Dakota Foundation/Schubert Club Jazz Piano Competition. Bobby Watson will return to perform with the Combo. Click here for more information about how you can support the future of jazz in the Twin Cities. Contact Kelly Rossum for more information about the current and future Dakota Combo program at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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