“Jazz up” your holidays at Boardman High School concert

The annual Boardman High School Holiday Jazz Concert will take place on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Boardman Performing Arts Center. All three of Boardman’s jazz ensembles will perform a few holiday selections and some standard and mainstream jazz pieces.

Jazz Ensemble 3 will begin the show with “Cute” and “The Blues Walk.” Jazz Ensemble 2 selections include “Cissy Strut,” “Silent Night,” “Sweet Georgia Bright” and “Have A Cool Yule.”

BHS Jazz Ensemble 1 closes the concert with selections to include a version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” in the style of the Glen Miller and Count Basie bands, “Caravan” as done by Chicago and Steely Dan’s “Josie.” Vocal selections for Jazz 1 will include Tower of Power’s “There’s Only So Much Oil In the Ground,” “The Christmas Song” and Michael Buble’s rendition of “Cry Me A River.” Featured vocalists for the evening are Rebecca Choleva, James Harker, Mike Mitchum and Nico Ruggieri.

The ensembles are under the direction of Thomas M. Ruggieri. This concert is the group’s annual gift to the community so donations will not be accepted at the doors, which will open at 6:15 p.m.

Shoppers and visitors to Trump Tower in New York City recently experienced Jazz Ensemble 1’s fourth appearance at the venue during the Boardman Band’s recent trip to Philadelphia and New York during Thanksgiving weekend. In addition to multiple Trump Tower performances, Jazz Ensemble 1 has appeared at several high-profile New York venues including Swing 46 and B.B. King’s Blues Club.

Jazz 2 is gearing up for its “rock and roll” season of playing at some home basketball games in January and February. The group may even deliver a sneak-peek of its basketball band music at the holiday concert.

Visit www.boardmanband.org for more information about the Boardman jazz program and all of the Boardman bands.