Kent State University Jazz Ensembles


Kent State University Jazz Ensembles are comprised of undergraduate and graduate music majors and non-majors. The bands are proficient in several jazz styles ranging from Swing and Be-bop, to contemporary Big Band styles, Salsa and Fusion. Works composed by the great Jazz writers such as Duke Ellington, Thad Jones, Sammy Nestico, Billy Byers, Gil Evans, and Bill Holman are featured as well as original compositions by local writers and student composers.

Kent Jazz Ensembles have won Outstanding Band awards at collegiate jazz festivals such as Notre Dame, Ohio Valley Jazz Festival, Quinnipiac (Conn.) Aquinas College Jazz Festival (Grand Rapids), Tri-C Jazz Festival, and the Elmhurst Collegiate Jazz Festival (Chicago). The band has also performed at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

Jazz Ensemble I has played concerts with jazz greats including Clark Terry,
Joe Williams, Marian McPartland, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Woods, Steve Turre, Jiggs Whigham, and Bill Dobbins. The ensembles perform several concerts a year on and off campus to include: high school jazz festivals, nursing homes, dances, university events, and more.

In addition to the Jazz Ensembles at Kent State, course work is offered in Jazz History, Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Composing and Arranging and Jazz Ensemble Techniques (for Music Education Majors).





Bio-Chas Baker-KSU

Chas Baker is Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at Kent State University and has directed KSU Jazz Ensembles since 1977.

His professional background includes experience as trombone soloist with the Austrian Radio and Television Network Big Band in Vienna, Austria. In 1968-’69 as a U.S. Army bands man he was trombone soloist with the 1st Air Cavalry Division Band, Viet Nam.

Since returning from abroad he has been an active player in the Cleveland area, performing with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, including guest artists such as Bob Brookmeyer, Maria Schneider, John Hollenbeck and Joe Lovano, The Jazz Unit at The Cleveland Bop Stop, and for Cleveland Playhouse Square productions, playing for such artists as Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Terry Gibbs and David Sanborn.

Mr. Baker has written jazz compositions and arrangements for The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, The Jazz Unit, Kent Jazz Ensemble and high school and college jazz bands. He is active as clinician, soloist and adjudicator in public schools and colleges throughout Northeastern Ohio and Massachusetts. He has directed the Ohio Music Educators Association All State High School Jazz Band, the IAJE/OMEA All State Collegiate Jazz Band and, in 2006, the Massachusetts-Central District, Music Educators Association High School Honors Jazz Band.

In addition to conducting Jazz Ensembles at Kent his duties include teaching courses in Jazz History, Improvisation, Composing and Arranging and Jazz Pedagogy.

In 1997 he was awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award by the Kent State University Alumni Association and The Kent State University Foundation.

He received his B.A. and M.M. degrees from Kent State University and graduated from the U.S. Army/Navy School of Music at Norfolk, Virginia.