UCA Jazz ensembles wowed crowds with some great rhythms Feb. 24.

The two jazz ensembles featured a variety of songs from classic jazz to more modern stylings.

The first ensemble, The Jazz Repertory Ensemble, featured five different songs.

“Blues in the Closet” featured solos from Addi Hankins, the lead alto saxophonist and Taylor Torres, the lead trombonist.

“Cotton Tail” featured solos from Benjamin Favorite the pianist, Hayden Couch the drummer, Sammi Oberhauser the trumpeter, and Nick Dickinson the saxophonist. 

Matthew Taylor, the conductor, said Couch only joined the ensemble the previous week and that he did a remarkable job, despite only having a week to work on five pieces of music. 

“Satin Doll” featured Blake Tyson on the drums as well as Oberhauser, Dickinson, and Favorite. “Satin Doll” was interesting to Taylor because “there have been lots of different lyrics over the years to it.”

“Besame Mucho” featured Preston Gibson on the tenor saxophone. Taylor explained the story behind this piece.

“Years ago when I was in Miami, I got a crush on a girl and I took her out for a steak because that’s what you do, but I was penniless in grad school, and so I could only afford one steak and we shared it and it was beautiful.” 

He continued,“They had these three people playing guitars, but had to be the oldest Cuban singers, and they said ‘Would you like us to play you some music for a fee?’  and, of course, I said ‘yes,’ and feeling very very suave, I said ‘play us something romantic,’” Taylor said. They played “Besame Mucho.”

“The lyrics of this amazing song are ‘kiss me lots because our love will not last,’” Taylor said.

“Cold Duck Time” featured Dickinson and Gibson playing the tenor saxophone. 

The last ensemble, The Studio Jazz Ensemble performed six songs: “Straight, No Chaser,” “A lift of the Foot,” “Something for Ernie,” “Walking by Flashlight,” “The Next Chapter” and “Ms. Garvy, Ms. Garvy!!”

“Straight, No Chaser” featured solos from Robert Spencer on the drums, Landon Vaca on the trumpet and Danny Isaacs on tenor saxophone.

“Something for Ernie” had one soloist; Christian Stephens on alto saxophone. 

“A Lift of the Foot” featured Isaacs on tenor saxophone and Connor Robinette on trombone. “Walking by Flashlight” featured soloists Tyus Diaz on alto clarinet and Liz Taylor-McMullen on accordion. 

“The Next Chapter” featured soloists Robinette on alto saxophone and Glenn Martin on piano. “Ms. Garvy, Ms. Garvy!!” Featured five soloists; Diaz on bari saxophone, Robinette on trombone, Martin on piano, Sergio Castillo on trombone and Mar Morgan playing an improv solo on trumpet.