Following selection through open auditions in September, the Combo rehearsed under Rossum’s direction at MacPhail throughout the school year; participated in a weekend of rehearsal, performance and clinic at the Dakota Jazz Club with trumpeter Irvin Mayfield; performed at the annual conference of the Minnesota Music Educators; and toured three area schools (K-8 and high school) in February. After their concert at MacPhail, they will prepare for two final performances, at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival on June 19th and at the Aquatennial Block Party on Peavy Plaza on July 18th.  A new activity for the Combo this year is making a studio recording, which was scheduled earlier this week at Wild Sound Studio. 

While everyone agreed the first year of the program was a big success, expanding the program to two full semesters of study and performance in the second year provided the young musicians with additional opportunities to learn their craft.  Noted Rossum, “The additional semester allowed the students to develop their skills not only as individuals, but also as an ensemble. They now trust the other members of the group on a musical level, which is critical to the maturation of jazz concepts. They were also able to explore more of their original compositions.” One of Kelly Rossum’s emphases in directing the Combo has been to encourage the musicians to develop their own arrangements and compositions, as well as leadership roles. The repertoire for the Combo performances this year has thus included classic jazz standards as well as works from each musician; their recording will include all original music. 

The day of school visits in February took the septet to Minnetonka High School (home school for two of this year’s musicians), Sheridan K-8 Fine Arts in northeast Minneapolis, and Ramsey K-8 Fine Arts in south Minneapolis, with each session spent performing and answering questions about their instruments and interests in jazz. Ramsey band director/trumpeter Tom Wells joined the Combo for the latter part of the performance. The school visits are considered an important part of the expanded program. Said Rossum, “I think they [Combo] enjoyed performing for younger students and for other high school musicians. They had to field questions from students their own age and younger. It was interesting hearing their responses to ‘What turned you on to Jazz?’ or ‘How much do you practice?’” Rossum also notes the importance of the teaching experience in the development of young musicians: “Teaching requires a musician to reevaluate her/his own playing and style. By being involved with these clinics and master classes, the students will have an opportunity to share their own experiences and learn about other musicians’ paths through jazz. It’s a level of communication that can go beyond just listening to music; musicians (both young and old) can share their passion for the music.”   
 

And for the seniors, college and further music studies await them in the fall—Jake Baldwin (New England Conservatory of Music), Ryan Freitas (Michigan State University), Tony Pistilli (U Wisconsin Eau Claire), Carson King-Fournier (Juilliard), Joe Strachan (Lawrence University Conservatory), and Cory Grindberg (Northwestern University). 

Whether the next phase of their jazz careers involves conservatory studies, college orchestras or another season of high school band, these young musicians have already learned important lessons. Said Jake Baldwin (trumpet), “Playing in this group and being guided by Kelly has given me a whole new take on what jazz is. In a sense my concept changed from trying to be Dizzy or Miles to listening to everything, learning what everyone does, and then forgetting it all and playing what I think sounds good. To me that's what a good musician does and that is what this group has been all about for me.” 

If you have been wondering about the future of jazz, look no farther than the Dakota Combo. Hear for yourself on May 21st at 8 pm, Antonello Hall in the MacPhail Center for Music at 501 Second Avenue South in the Minneapolis Mill District.  

FFI, www.macphail.org; www.dakotacombo.com. High school jazz musicians and instructors interested in auditions for the 2009-10 Dakota Combo should contact Kelly Rossum at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it