Jazz Band is an extracurricular group requiring an audition. Rehearsals will be on Mondays from 3:30-5:30pm starting January 7.

Performances may include the State College Jazz Festival, Penn State Jazz Festival, and other festivals depending on dates. 

The annual Jazz Night for Bellefonte features the Middle School and High School Jazz Bands and will be on Wednesday, April 30. Please refer to the Fine Arts Calendar for dates and times for all band events.

Recommended Listening

Listening is an important aspect of learning and playing jazz. Here are some recommendations to get you started, which includes different instruments as well as big bands. Once you've listened to some musicians on your instrument, check out some of the others on the list. This is by no means comprehensive! If you hear something you like, tell Mr. Rebarchak.

• Saxophone - Cannonball Adderly, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Sonny Stitt, Walt Weiskopf, Greg Johnson

• Trombone - Wycliffe Gordon, J.J. Johnson, Jim McFalls

• Trumpet - Louis Armstrong, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, Maynard Ferguson Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Nicholas Payton

• Piano - Count Basie, Cyrus Chesnut, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Bud Powell, Thelonius Monk

• Bass - Charles Mingus, Jaco Pastorius

• Drums - Art Blakey, Buddy Rich, Max Roach

• Guitar - Grant Green, Pat Metheny, Béla Fleck (banjo)

• Vocalists - Harry Connick, Jr., Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Diana Krall, Frank Sinata, Sarah Vaughn

• Big Bands - Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Maynard Ferguson, Gordon Goodwin, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich