Directed by Kris Tiner, who is also the department chair for the performing arts department, the jazz ensemble made their in-person performance come back at the BC Indoor Theater Simonsen Performing Arts Center for the Jazz At The Movies event on April 25. The jazz ensemble had been performing virtually since the current events revolving around the COVID-19 Virus. They recently were finally able to return to doing in-person performances due to recent changes to COVID-19 guidelines and mandates. 

The Jazz At The Movies event featured music from classics like “Casablanca,” “Anatomy of a Murder,” “Written in the Shadows,” and “Hey, Hey, Hey, it’s Fat Albert,” and music from well-known movies such as “Austin Powers,” “The Muppet Movie,” and “Despicable Me” were presented by the ensemble through their creative and stunning adaptations. 

Along with music featured in films, the ensemble also brought in original music created by the students themselves. The three jazz combo groups presented the music back-to-back. Jazz combo A brought songs like “South Africa,” by Jonathan Diaz, “Outcomes” and “Taking Advantage,” by Michael Reyes, and “Turpentine” by Marcos Gonzalez. The mix of trumpets, saxophones, and piano melodies brought these unique songs together and into life for the audience. 

The Jazz Combo C came in afterward to present songs made by John Rivera. “Bananas” created an upbeat and quicker tempo for the audience, while his other song, “Jasper,” brought in wonderful sounds of melodies through the piano that moved the scene of the event. Luis Rivas also introduced his song “Gospel Tune,” which demonstrated a strong creative use of the bass. 

The final group for the event was Jazz Combo B. The combo performed Miguel Mejias’ “Jazz Parade” and “Who Cares?,” Kyle Whitaker’s “Walking Along,” and Carson Peters’ “Misery,” which he jokingly added to the audience that the song’s title originated from the fact that the song was “miserable to write and miserable to create.”

Although the song’s title creates a sense of misery, the audience made it clear that night that it was a very fun and creative tune. 

The ensemble created a very memorable night for the Bakersfield community that day, as it had made it clear that the jazz group was back and musically stronger than ever before.