On Feb. 16, 2022, Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s Magale Recital Hall was filled with the wonderful sounds of jazz music by our very own jazz orchestra.

The jazz orchestra performed seven pieces for their live audience, as well as for those watching through a live stream.

Their first pieces, “Harlem Airshaft” and “Jack the Bear,” were composed by Duke Ellington, transcribed by David Berger and featured solos by Sodac Silva on trumpet, Ethan Maynard on soprano sax, Jonathan Chaparro Romero on bass and Jessica Debose on trombone. Audience members responded wonderfully to the opening pieces, clapping for each solo and partial standing ovations once the pieces were finished.

The director of the Jazz Orchestra, Galindo Rodriguez, then introduced Blake Taggert by his nickname, “Chico” to perform “Chico and the Man” by Jose Felicano and arranged by Victor Lopez which featured Taggert on cornet and Rodriguez on trumpet.

Through this duet, the audience could see Rodriguez’s strong love for jazz shine through his directing.

Their next piece, “All Figured Out” by Derek Brown, featured Mario Orellana on piano and Tristan Dotson as the vocalist. While the vocalist’s presence wasn’t the focal point, it added stronger emotions beyond what just the melody from the instruments could bring. “All Figured Out” was the only piece of the night to feature a vocalist and left the audience in awe of Dotson’s wonderful talent.

The orchestra continued their performance with “Hoping for the Best,” another Derek Brown piece, which featured Taylor Pettus on alto sax and Ethan Maynard on soprano sax, then “Nueces River,” by Victor Rendon and arranged by Joe Mannozzi, with solos by Daniel Scott on flute, Taylor Pettus on alto sax and David Berrocal Barrios on piano.

Their performance closed with “Mambo Boulevard” by Joe Mannozzi with solos that featured Juan Arrietta on trumpet, Mario Orellana on piano, David Berrocal Barrios on piano and Henry Pineda on timbales.