Jazz

Lakota East Jazz Historical Sketch

As the Lakota East band program has enjoyed growth, the jazz program has grown as well.  The Lakota East Jazz program started as one jazz band taught after school, and has grown to five high school jazz big bands, which each meet daily during the school day.  The bands are under the direction of Mr. Todd Hartman and Mr. Michael Peters.

Lakota East Jazz Bands have hosted jazz greats such as Rick Van Matre, Phil DeGreg, John Von Ohlen, Jim Rupp, Scott Belck, Hal Melia, Drews Mitchell, Jason Webb, Steve Whipple, Bill Burns, Jerry Robinson, J.C. Heisler, Joe Jahnigen, Ron Jones, and Karl Kerfoot as guest performers/clinicians. 

The Lakota East High School Eastside Jazz Ensemble was selected as one of only 12 high school big bands in the country to perform at the 2010 Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival in Monterey, California.  In 2009, the ensemble received an invitation to perform at Savannah Music Festival’s Swing Central Competition.  In addition, the band performed at the 2009 University of Louisville Jazz Festival and received high honors as the only high school group selected to perform at the festival’s final professional evening concert.  The Eastside Jazz Ensemble was also invited as one of the top ten applicants from around the country to perform at the 2007 University of North Texas Jazz Festival.  The band has performed twice at the Ohio Music Education Association Professional Conference.

The 2007-2008 Eastside Jazz Ensemble earned a superior rating at the Ohio State University Jazz Festival and rhythm section participated in a clinic with Mr. Phil DeGreg (Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies/Professor of Jazz Piano at the College-Conservatory of Music) at the 2008 OMEA Professional Conference.

Lakota East jazz students are consistently selected to perform with the OMEA All-State High School Jazz Ensemble and the OMEA District XIII Honor Jazz Ensemble.  Of the eighteen members of the OMEA All-State Jazz Ensemble in 2011, eight were Lakota East Jazz students, In previous years, seven, six, and seven All-State Jazz Ensemble members, respectively, were Lakota East Jazz students. 

Other performance venues for Lakota East High School Jazz Bands have included the Ohio State University Jazz Festival, the Southwest Ohio Jazz Festival at Miami University, the Beavercreek High School Jazz Festival, and the Lebanon High School Jazz Festival.

Todd Hartman
Director of Jazz Studies