Start the New Year with a jazz concert! Bring a friend! Bring the kids! Head down to the Soo Theatre and support a good cause.
Two outstanding groups will take the stage at the Soo Theatre as part of our Raise the Roof Concert Series on Tuesday, January 9 at 7:00pm.
Cedarville Jazz Ensemble
Opening for Jazz in January will be Cedarville Jazz Ensemble, a 26-member group under the direction of Alan Jacobus. Jacobus is the band director at Les Cheneaux Community Schools and though jazz band is not offered during the school day, students go early to school twice a week for zero-hour to have this jazz opportunity. Jacobus and his students hold a jazz night each year that has limited seating and sells out quickly.
The feature group for Jazz in January will be the Michigan Tech Jazz Lab Band visiting from Michigan Technological University in Houghton, MI.
MTU Jazz Lab Band Bio
“This award-winning group, under the direction of Mike Irish, is made up of 20 musicians from throughout the country, and features a broad repertoire of music ranging from the Big Band Era to today’s contemporary sounds and original compositions. MTU Jazz Lab Band incorporates a wide variety of styles including swing, funk, Latin, rock, jazz standards, reggae, ballads, and original compositions.
Their busy schedule includes numerous concerts and club dates throughout the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, guest artist concerts featuring performers such as Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, Maynard Ferguson, Frank Wess, Steve Wiest, Wendell Harrison, Woody Herman and the Young Thundering Herd, Frank Mantooth, Marcus Belgrave, and the Stan Kenton Orchestra, an annual one-week Midwest Tour, and featured performances at various conventions such as the Midwestern Conference on School Music. The Jazz Lab Band has toured Jamaica six times and been chosen as the Outstanding Large Ensemble at the Aquinas Intercollegiate Big Band Festival, Grand Rapids, MI and the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire Collegiate Jazz Festival on numerous occasions.”
The MTU Jazz Lab Band will be visiting the Soo Theatre as part of its Midwest Tour. This year, their tour is focusing on Historic Theatres in the Upper Peninsula. Watch next week’s article for bios of both directors, Alan Jacobus and Michael Irish.
Cedarville Jazz Ensemble and MTU Jazz Lab Band will perform at the Soo Theatre on Tuesday, January 9 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the door.
Just a reminder: Lessons at the Soo Theatre will resume the week of January 8. Watch here for an updated list of classes for the winter/spring semester. Looking to try something new in the New Year? Soo Theatre has a class for you! Classes and lessons for all ages and abilities are available at the Soo Theatre on a wide variety of instruments, voice, and theatre. There’s something for everyone all year long at the Soo Theatre.
