The Palm Desert Jazz Combo is an 11-piece ensemble. They came together in 2009 while in middle school, and currently all of them are now in high school. The group played several gigs over the course of their first year, including “Open Call 2009″ at the McCallum Theatre. They made it all the way to the finals in this prestigious event. For their final performance they played the very fast, swinging chart Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy and it was an audience favorite.
The next year, the Jazz Combo again made the cut for “Open Call 2010″ and secured a place in the finals. This is an outstanding achievement and I was very proud of all the members of the Jazz Combo. It was a joy and an honor to be associated with these talented students.
UPDATE: Once again, the amazing Jazz Combo are in the finals of “Open Call – 2011.” This time, I am pleased to announce, they did it all on their own. What a great achievement – 3 straight years! Perhaps technically they did this without an “adult” or “leader,” but they didn’t need either. They handled this endeavor themselves with maturity, leadership, teamwork and excellence far beyond their years. I am so proud of all of them.