High school jazz ensemble offers free concert

The Boardman High School will perform its third annual Summer Jazz Ensemble Series Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Boardman Park.

The Summer Jazz Ensemble was started three years ago as a tribute to West Coast horn band Tower of Power. The music of Tower of Power will again be a part of this year’s repertoire, but director Thomas Ruggieri has added many other band favorites from the past few years.

“We will play something for everyone, young and old,” said Ruggieri.

The group will play selections by Michael Buble, Ella Fitzgerald, Tommy Dorsey, Earth, Wind & Fire, Peggy Lee and many more.

“It’s the energy and quality of the group that makes the performance,” said Ruggieri. “Even if you don’t know some of the songs we play, you will still be entertained by the level of musicianship of my students and by the exciting arrangements.”

The group consists of students who were in the BHS Jazz Ensemble I this past school year and some who will be in the group this coming year. BHS Jazz I is the group that was invited to perform at B.B. King’s Blues Club in New York City in May.

The group already performed one show on July 15 in Sharon, Pa., and is hoping to get a performance opportunity at the Canfield Fair.

For information on the concert series and the Boardman band and jazz program, visit www.boardmanband.org.