Graduates of the first three seasons have gone on to pursue music studies at such prestigious college programs as the Brubeck Institute, Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, The Juilliard School, Lawrence Conservatory, New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and more. Each Combo pianist has also won the Performance Prize at the annual Schubert Club/Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education Jazz Piano Scholarship Competition.  

Following selection through open auditions in September, the Combo rehearsed biweekly with Linz, who was appointed Jazz Coordinator at MacPhail last summer. The musicians also participated in a weekend of rehearsal, performance (at the Dakota) and clinic (at MacPhail) with nationally acclaimed saxophonist Tia Fuller; performed again at the Dakota as part of the MMEA Night sponsored by the Shell Lake Art Center; as the opening band for Butch Thompson’s holiday show at MacPhail; with MacPhail vocal students at Honey; at the annual MacPhail Music Matters Luncheon (with special guest Peter Ostrushko); and will perform on the Youth Stage at the upcoming Twin Cities Jazz Festival in June. In February the Combo performed for students at Ramsey Junior High School in St. Paul and Farmington High School. This year, the Combo musicians have also attended master classes with the Bill Frisell Trio and David King, provided through a collaboration with the Walker Art Center. Particularly, Linz found the session with Bill Frisell to be “pretty mind bending.” 

Becoming a Band

“I was really impressed by the maturity of these young people,” said Linz following the auditions. “This was the youngest group we've ever had audition. They were all very confident and respectful towards the tradition of the music.” Now, some eight months later, Linz notes that his students have all “opened up as soloists. They all also have a better understanding of dynamics. Really playing something that may seem easy and then exploring it further to find out just how hard playing a few notes with the absolute right sound can be… They are now self sufficient and not always looking to me for the answers. I just kinda watch and observe.” His students, however, regard Linz’s role as far more essential to their success. Said drummer Cameron LeCrone, “It was incredible to work with Adam. Being a Fat Kid Wednesdays worshipper, it was unbelievable learning the art from one of my idols.”  Adds saxophonist Danny Hupp, “The most satisfying part of this program was undoubtedly the teachers. Adam has done such great work, and he's the reason this year went so well.” 

Linz notes that what has been most satisfying to him has been “just watching them become a band. That's always really cool to see.” Most of all, Linz notes that he has been “touched to see people so young give so much of themselves to the band and one another. It reminds you of why we play this music and endure the slippery slopes that accompany it.”   
 

Meet the Dakota Combo

Anna Buchholz, alto and soprano saxophones (senior, Stillwater High School), has played saxophone since fifth grade and honed her jazz skills playing with the Concert Band, Concert Choir and Stillwater Jazz I at school, SUPERSAX, The Cody Peterson Quartet, Minnesota Youth Jazz Band, Shell Lake Jazz Camp, All-State Jazz bands and her own group, the Valley Catz. Throughout the year, Anna notes that “we were constantly pushed and expected to act not as teenagers, but as mature, professional musicians.” As she prepares for graduation and attending Lawrence University’s Conservatory of Music, Anna feels “more educated in listening and more confident in my playing… I feel much more prepared as I go to study music in college.”  

Danny Hupp, alto and tenor saxophones (junior, Minneapolis Southwest HS) has been busy with a variety of music projects, including three years with the Southwest High School band, wind ensemble, multiple combos, Shell Lake Jazz Camp ensembles and an indie rock band, We Valedictorians. “Being a part of this combo has allowed me to work on the relationship aspect of being a performer…I really got to experience the closeness that a group needs to be successful.” And he is more certain that he wants to pursue a career in music.  “Before Dakota Combo, I knew I wanted to be a professional musician. After Dakota Combo, I have to be a professional musician.” 

John Cushing, trombone (junior, Minnetonka HS), has played with MacPhail ensembles, the Allstate Concert Band and Birch Creek Jazz Camp in Door County, and currently plays with his school bands and the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band. An alternate last year, John has appreciated the opportunities the Combo has provided for an instrument that sometimes seems to take a back seat in a jazz band. “Being in the Dakota Combo has allowed me to play what I want on trombone, and has let me branch out and explore new bounds on an instrument that is dying away in the small jazz combo scene.” 

Zosha Warpeha, violin (freshman, Princeton HS), also plays piano, bass and oboe in school bands; she plays violin in the Minnesota Youth Symphony, recently joined the St. Cloud Symphony, and plays “a mix of bluegrass, folk, rock, and jazz--all at the same time” in a band called The String Chickens. The youngest member of the Combo, Zosha found the support of her fellow musicians to be a critical part of the experience this year, learning “that it's O.K. to make a mistake…people in the Combo told me that we all ‘crash and burn’ sometimes, and it's okay. I think that this has influenced my skills and, more importantly, my attitude towards improvisation--I'm beginning to take a few more risks, and I'm beginning to have more fun playing the music.”

Quentin Tschofen, piano (sophomore, Spring Lake Park Lighthouse Program), “was drawn to jazz by its rhythms and complexity.” In addition to piano studies with Bryan Nichols at MacPhail, Quentin has attended MacPhail’s summer jazz camps, participated in other MacPhail combos, Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth jazz camp, and Minnesota Youth Jazz Band. A finalist in the upcoming Schubert Club/Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education Jazz Piano Competition, he notes that his Dakota Combo experience “has confirmed and strengthened my interest in continuing to study jazz…It's been great to have the chance to play with other talented high school musicians. I also appreciated being able to  workshop with professional jazz musicians, and I enjoyed all the opportunities to perform.” 

Caitlin Kelliher, bass (junior, Minneapolis Southwest HS) has participated in the Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphony, chamber, symphonic and jazz ensembles with the Southwest High School music program, Minnesota Youth Jazz Band, a jazz workshop at McNally Smith, classical camps, and the Birch Creek Jazz Camp. An alternate for the Dakota Combo last year, Caitlin appreciated the opportunity to meet other young women who share her passion for jazz. “For the most part, all of the other jazz combos/bands I have been in have had very few girls…It is really nice to see that there are other young women who have the same interest as I do in music…This has been such a potent experience…After this year, I have more interest in pursuing music as a career, or at least part of a career.” 

Cameron LeCrone, drums (senior, Minnetonka HS) became interested in jazz through his older brother Geoff, guitarist with the second edition of the Dakota Combo. The only student returning to the Combo from last year, Cam played with the MMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble this summer and, in addition to the Combo, plays with the Minnetonka High School Jazz Ensemble and Minnesota Youth Jazz Band. This year, Cam particularly learned about “the importance of relationships within a band. I think the close friendships we formed within the band propelled us to perform more comfortably onstage.” After graduation in June, Cam plans to attend Northwestern University for Jazz Studies, “and I definitely intend to give my music career a shot. Hopefully I'll be able to impact people with my music the same way Adam, J.T. [Bates], Bryan [Nichols] and many other Minneapolis musicians can.”  

Hear the Future of Jazz

Combo guest artist, Tia Fuller, talks about the importance of “nurturing the gift as well as the talent... there are lots of people with the gift, but because it is not nurtured, it becomes null and void.” When it comes to young jazz musicians, one way to nurture the gift is to provide opportunities beyond what is normally available through school and private lessons. In addition to learning a variety of compositions and arrangements from Charlie Parker to Thelonious Monk to Charles Mingus and more, Combo musicians have been encouraged to develop their own arrangements and compositions, as well as leadership roles. These compositions and arrangements will be featured in their May 13th concert at MacPhail. 

If you have been wondering about the future of jazz, look no farther than the Dakota Combo. 

  “This group is the reason I take jazz seriously...I have learned not only what it means to be a professional musician but it has also taught me what kind of person I want to be... 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.”  -- Jake Baldwin, trumpet, New England Conservatory of Music (Dakota Combo, 2007-08 and 2008-09) 

Jazz Thursdays with the Dakota Combo will begin at 8 pm in Antonello Hall at the MacPhail Center for Music, 501 South Second Street in Minneapolis’ Mill District. FFI, www.macphail.org; www.dfje.org. High school jazz musicians and instructors interested in auditions for the 2010-2011 Dakota Combo should contact Adam Linz at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Auditions will be held in early September. The final performances of the Dakota Combo will be on June 2 as part of “Sample Night” at the History Theatre in St. Paul (7 pm) and at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival on June 19th (Youth Stage at Cray) at 7 pm. Adapted from an article published in the May edition of the Twin Cities Jazz Society’s CODA.