Nordic Choir, Symphony Orchestra, Concert Band — these are three of the most elite and talented ensembles on Luther’s campus, but where does jazz fit into that equation? The Luther Jazz Orchestra may be slightly lesser known, but the musicians’ commitment does not fall short.

Jazz Orchestra, directed by Tony Guzmán, associate professor of music, is an auditioned ensemble that practices one hour each day, the same time spent by Luther’s other top ensembles.

“Every single day, the Jazz Orchestra works extremely hard, like all the other ensembles,” said Guzmán. “But they also display a tremendous sense of joy, overt joy and happiness that, in part, is due to the kind of music we make.”

Jon Bakken (‘09) serves as president of Jazz Orchestra and plays bass in the rhythm section.

“Tony has done a great job of really trying to make the Jazz Orchestra, at least in the eyes of the music faculty, at the same level as Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra and Nordic Choir,” said Bakken. “A kind of top ensemble … a touring Luther College representation ensemble.”

Jazz Orchestra is on a four-year international touring cycle, and this May the ensemble will travel to Brazil for 12 days. Most of that time will be devoted to playing one or two times a day, either outside in town squares or late concerts in the evenings. One concert will be broadcast on national television.

“There is a commitment to do the very best we can,” said Guzmán. “To play jazz extremely well.”

The repertoire will change along with the climate.

“We’re going to do more traditional Brazilian styles of tunes to hopefully accommodate more dancing,” said Bakken.

Ensemble members are looking forward to experiencing Brazilian culture and music.

“I’m just hoping to get to really hear what a bossa nova is supposed to sound like,” said Bakken.

The Jazz Orchestra had its final Luther concert April 12. Playing under the Brazilian sun could be a little different than performing in the Center for Faith and Life.

“This last concert was a great jazz history overview,” said Bakken. “[Tour] will be a cool way to just be educators at the same time as performers … and be kind of a dance band as well.”

So how does jazz fare at a school with a generally traditional music program?

“[Luther] is very much a classical school,” said Bakken. “If I wanted to study bass, it would be in the classical tradition.”

That does not mean other genres should not be explored..

“Jazz is America’s music,” said Guzmán. “A liberal arts school like Luther ought to have jazz as an important component of their musical expression. It is inconceivable to have an American school of music that doesn’t have jazz.”

As a music major, Bakken agreed.

“You’d miss out on a lot of music if all you were doing was opera,” said Bakken. “It’s easy to get close-minded and look directly at Europe. Without the Jazz Orchestra, we’d be sitting here in the heartland of America, and we would barely be studying any American music.”

Jazz musicians must also come with a slightly different skill-set than a traditional instrumentalist.

“Jazz is the only music at Luther, from a curricular point of view, that integrates a strong technical background with improvisation, a capacity to create your very own music as you go,” said Guzmán. “[In] other ensembles, you don’t get to have the opportunity to express your ideas musically by improvisation. And if we value creativity in the students as part of the liberal arts education, then jazz is a must.”

Bakken, who defines himself as a jazz musician, also agreed with Guzmán.

“You don’t realize until you really start digging into jazz just how musically knowledgeable you really have to be,” said Bakken. “For Tom Paradise (‘08) on guitar, his music will just be a bunch of slashes and he has to know what to do with his fingers.”

This improvisational style might be difficult in a different genre.

“If me as a cellist, I was playing some Beethoven and instead of having Beethoven’s notes, was just handed a bunch of slashes, it really wouldn’t turn out so well,” said Bakken. “It’s a completely different mindset.”

Overall, the jazz program at Luther has provided students with opportunities for musical diversity.

“Jazz encompasses so many different things like the Latin styles and more traditional like swing and then funk,” said Bakken. “Genres, that without the Jazz Orchestra, I wouldn’t have been trained by a professor to learn how to do really well.”