Big Band Jazz

Big Band Jazz                                     Ticket Information

A History of Big Band Jazz

This is a community jazz band that meets Wednesdays from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm.from September through May. The band performs at least three concerts per year. The first one is in the fall and is in conjunction with the COCC JazzFest. This is a festival held for high school and junior high jazz band early in the school year. A guest artist/clinician is brought in to work with the performing ensembles and to perform with the Big Band Jazz as a guest artist. There is also a mid winter and spring concert.

The Jazz band was started in the early 80's as an extension of the jazz band that met during the day for students. There were not enough students to fill the jazz band so community people were invited to join it. At times over the years between students and community people there were two performing groups. The group has evolved into a community group with members performing in it for 12 and 13 years. There is still room for college students with a real interest in big band jazz, but it is only by audition. Over the years the band has grown stronger with the growth of Bend and more talented musicians moving into the community.

The band was formed by Jerry Yahna, long time music professor at COCC. When Mr. Yahna retired Tom Barber was hired to continue the band. Tom played tenor and alto in the band for about thirteen years until he took over for Yahna. He is a graduate of the University of Wyoming and holds a Master's of Music Ed. from Central Washington State University. He taught band and jazz band for 32 years, teaching in Wyoming, Washington, Oregon, the last 22 years at Mountain View High School in Bend. he retired from the Bend Schools in 1998. He has served as past president of the Oregon Band Directors Association and the Oregon chapter of International Association of Jazz Educators.