A new rhythm has emerged on campus with the success of BC’s Jazz Combo. The ensemble, which was started in the spring of 2024, is slowly building an impressive resume of performances, from Campus Activities Board’s Casino Night to impromptu cafeteria tunes.
The combo was student initiated. Several students approached Professor Brian Ward, director of the music department’s jazz band, to form a group due to their own love of the musical art. He was happy to help, and it was a natural role for him to step into.
A jazz band is made of 10 or more musicians, while a combo is a smaller ensemble. The current jazz combo at BC has eight members, in addition to a few floating vocalists. Nicolaas tenBroek is on guitar, Kieran Pavlick and Henry Burns cover piano, Tim Kasprzak plays trombone, Nina Mazza and Stephanie Schrader take trumpet, Grace Carr strums the bass guitar and Eli Myzer beats the drums. Schrader is also a vocalist for the combo.
The combo has two weekly rehearsals, one of their own and one with Ward present. A typical rehearsal has two parts: discussing future performances and bringing new pieces to play and test. Rehearsal is often about simply trying things out.
This rehearsal style fits well with the core of jazz as a musical form. With jazz, Ward says “no one person is the leader,” but rather each musician leads in the moment. Everyone else is there to support them – an analogy for life in many ways.
Jazz is special to these musicians. Ward calls it “America’s classical music” and a “conversation between musicians.” There is a language to it that each jazz musician will learn and ultimately become fluent in. Combo performer Henry Burns says, “Playing jazz feels like writing something to the guy next to you in bright crayon.”
He continues by describing the aura and environment that jazz creates. It is a musical form aided by the room its played in and the people who are listening.
Burns says, “The whole thing is an experience: the horns, the cymbals, the quiet, also the squeaky chairs, and the kid ordering his latte too loudly. It’s all music speaking together.”
The jazz combo is excited to take part in that conversation and moreover, are excited to take part in it together.
Being a part of a group – be it combo, band, or ensemble – is an important thing for a budding musician. It challenges each musician to be better for their art and for the sake of their bandmates. It builds up their passion and love of the music they are creating, cementing a foundation for the craft as they follow it in life. It is a constant and steady hike of better performance. With jazz, this is a group effort in a distinct way.
Founding member Grace Carr says every performance “really showcases the individual musicianship…its really cool to be feel like you have a part in what’s going on, but you also have your own individual moment to make the piece shine.”
Benedictine has a variety of musical styles present on campus – choral to jazz to heavy metalheads. The campus is gifted with a multitude of informal and formal musical experiences which help to form both student and music student into a well-rounded listeners. Some, like jazz, should be, “super active and super alive,” Carr says, and other should be soft and slow. But the combo’s students encourage others to experience music of all types and tempos.
Currently, the combo is looking to record their music and submit it to upcoming music and jazz events.
