Jazz Ensembles 1 & 2

The King Philip Regional High School Jazz Ensemble has established itself as one of the premiere high school jazz bands in New England. The group has consistently received high ratings at Massachusetts Association of Jazz Educator's Festivals since the 1990's. 

The 2004, 2007, 2010, 2024 and 2025 bands were selected via blind audition to participate in the finals of the Essentially Ellington Festival at Lincoln Center in New York City. The band studies and records the music of Duke Ellington and his contemporaries annually for submission into this Festival.

In addition to these featured and adjudicated performances, the group has maintains an active performance schedule featuring a number of distinguished guest artists including: Jacob Melsha, Nicholas Beltramini, Erica von Kleist, Jeremy Udden, Brian Thomas, David Pope, The BT/ALC Big Band, The Jeff Holmes Big Band, and Nathan Childers.

Alumnae have gone on to perform in distinguished college jazz bands all over the country, including Temple University, Oberlin College and Conservatory, University of Miami, Cal Arts, Berklee College of Music, Boston University, University of Rhode Island, University of New Mexico, and The University of Massachusetts Amherst.

The Jazz curriculum includes a standard big band and improvisation classes. An outstanding adjunct private teaching faculty is available to all KPHS students. All members of the Jazz Ensemble also perform in the Concert Band or Percussion Ensemble.

Jazz Ensemble I has approximately 20 members in grades 9 - 12. The group's repertoire includes approximately 30 arrangements representing all of the major styles in the big band jazz tradition.

Jazz Ensemble II is open to any student, on any instrument, with an interest in learning about jazz and how to improvise. Students in Jazz Ensemble II focus on learning jazz standards by ear.