The VJC Youth Jazz Ensemble is comprised of high school students who meet each Tuesday at the Vermont Jazz Center to run over jazz standards and develop their skills in interpreting jazz compositions while getting the opportunity to improvise over several tunes each week. Their repertoire features compositions from the Great American Songbook, or classics by jazz and Latin legends like Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Tito Puente and others.

Arrangements are created during rehearsals using student input to demonstrate the power of combining single-note instruments to create chords resulting in a fat, ensemble sound. The arrangements are also designed to learn different rhythmical possibilities (from swing, to funk, to Latin, etc.). The ensemble is mostly made up of students from BUHS, Marlboro Schools, and Leland and Gray High, but aspiring jazzers also join us from as far away as the Bennington area. 

Free show! Food by Letty's Besitos Authentic Mexican Taqueria, drinks available from the Thirsty Goat Bar.

This show is a part of the Retreat Farm Winter Jazz Series in collaboration with and curated by the Vermont Jazz Center. We’re so looking forward to hosting these incredible professionals as well as the talented youth from Brattleboro High School and the VJC Youth Jazz ensemble.

January 22 - Zara Bode’s Little Big Band

February 12 - The Samirah Evans Project

March 26 - Convergence Quartet with Special Guest Wanda Houston

April 16 - BUHS Big Band, Madrigals, & VJC Youth Jazz Ensemble

This music series is supported in part by Roberts Energy, C&S Wholesale Grocers, and the Vermont Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Vermont, the National Endowment for the Arts, and generous private donors.