The United States Navy Jazz Band to Perform at the University of Central Missouri

According to a press release, The University of Central Missouri’s Performing Arts Series and the Department of Music will present the Commodores, the United States Navy Band’s jazz ensemble from Washington, D.C., in a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 25th, in Hendricks Hall on the UCM campus in Warrensburg.

The Navy Band Commodores feature 19 top jazz and “big band” musicians offering a mixture of styles ranging from the authentic sounds of the swing era to the contemporary high-energy music. The list of guest artists that have appeared with the Commodores include Ray Charles, Branford Marsalis, Clark Terry, Grover Washington, Jr., Chris Potter, Jerry Bergonzi, Eddie Daniels, James Moody and many more.

The group has appeared on television shows, played nearly all major jazz festivals and toured across the United States and abroad. In conjunction with the U.S. Air Force Airmen of Note and the U.S. Army Blues, the Commodores host their own annual jazz festival, the Joint Service Jazz Festival, in Washington, D.C.

As a versatile and relevant musical organization in the 21st century, the Commodores write and arrange much of their vast library of music. Their concerts are an eclectic mix of traditional big band music, exciting jazz vocal arrangements, as well as fresh new instrumental music written specifically for the Commodores of today. This vibrant, dynamic musical group is constantly striving for musical excellence and the pursuit of new and exciting ways to communicate with their audiences. Their most recent recording, “Directions,” was released in 2009 to critical acclaim.