SE Communications
DURANT – The Southeastern Oklahoma State Department of Music will host its annual “Jazzfest” on Saturday, April 12, with numerous local ensembles performing, as well as the conclusion of the 2024-25 Musical Arts Series.
The Jazzfest schedule (listed in full below) consists of performances from the Southeastern Jazz Ensemble, a Southeastern alumni ensemble, The Alley Cats Combo, The Smokin’ Aces Brass Band, and scholastic groups from Durant High School, Antlers High School, Bonham (Texas) High School, Colgate High School, and Kingston High and Middle Schools.
The Musical Arts Series featured performers and clinicians at the master class to kick off the day will be the Oscar Passley Jazz Ensemble. The ensemble features Passley on trumpet, Kent Ellinson on piano, Karl Lampman on woodwinds, Nathan Garrison on guitar, Lou Harlas on bass, and Isaac LaVigne on drums.
The 52nd Season of the Musical Arts Series is sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, Oklahoma Arts Council, Steger Piano Institute, and the Clark and Wanda Bass Foundation.Passley is the faculty coordinator of the music department at Dallas College Eastfield and Lecturer of Trumpet at the University of Texas at Arlington. His lengthy list of accolades includes sharing the stage with such notable musicians as Andrea Bocelli, Denyce Graves, Michael Sachs, Scott Hartman, Elizabeth Freimuth, Gladys and “Bubba” Knight, Louis Price (former lead singer for the Temptations), Heather Headley, “Bebe” Neuwirth, B. J. Thomas, Bowling for Soup, Rebirth Brass Band, Steve Lippia, Benjamin Wright, Winard Harper, Regina Carter, Bobby Sparks, Keith Anderson, Brad Leali, Tony Baker, Byron Stripling, and Wynton Marsalis.
2025 JAZZFEST SCHEDULE
All performances in Hallie McKinney Ballroom unless otherwise noted
12:30 p.m. – Oscar Passley Jazz Ensemble Master Class (Fine Arts Recital Hall)
1:50 p.m. – SE Jazz Performance
2:20 p.m. – Kingston Middle School
2:40 p.m. – Coalgate High School
3 p.m. – The Alley Cats Combo
3:20 p.m. – Durant High School
3:40 p.m. – Bonham High School
4 p.m. – Kingston High School
4:20 p.m. – The Smokin’ Aces Brass Band
5 p.m. – Durant High School
5:20 p.m. – Antlers High School
5:40 p.m. – SE Alumni Jazz Band
6:15 p.m. – Dinner Break
7:30 p.m. – Southeastern Musical Arts Series Presents: Oscar Passley Jazz Ensemble (Fine Arts Recital Hall)