The Spire

Sean Dooley ’28

News Editor

The Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble has been a staple of the college’s music program for decades. This year, however, the band underwent a series of changes. Namely, the introduction of a new director who has created new opportunities for student musicians to engage with.

For many years, the Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble was directed by renowned saxophonist Mike Monaghan, who played alongside many of the all-time greats throughout his career, such as Frank Sinatra, John Williams, and Chick Corea, and currently the Boston Pops. Last spring, Monaghan announced that he would be stepping down, and many students wondered who would be able to fill his shoes.

Luckily, bass instructor Steve Skop stepped in to direct this year’s Jazz Ensemble. Skop directs practice twice a week for an hour and a half, where students practice a list of songs which they will perform in concert on Nov. 20. Each rehearsal also consists of various ear-training exercises, as well as many opportunities for students to improvise. Perhaps the most significant innovation that Skop has made to the Jazz Ensemble is the introduction of jazz combos. Jazz combos are small jazz bands that usually consist of three to six people, and often perform different sorts of music than big bands. This is due to the different arrangements which are possible with less musicians. For example, a musical arrangement for ten saxophones will differ significantly from an arrangement for just one saxophone. The saxophonist who plays the latter piece will also have more freedom in exploring the piece’s improvisational possibilities, as they would not need to account for nine other saxophone players. The idea behind these combos is to give students the opportunity to hone their improvisation skills in a smaller, less restrictive environment. These combos meet once a week for one hour, and perform at various events on campus, such as open houses and accepted students day.

So far, this year is looking to be a promising one for the Holy Cross Jazz Ensemble. Keep on the lookout for the ensemble’s fall concert on Nov. 20, as well as other performances in the Prior!