Live jazz music is nothing short of an art form. It is music at its purest form, injected with commanding attitude. Whether the emotion conveyed is joy, anguish, affection, gratitude, infatuation, among others, jazz does not shy away from expressing the complexity of the human experience.

Jazz Combos I and II performed eight jazz songs for their fall concert on Tuesday, Sept. 14. The theme of this Combos concert was playing songs in a different musical style than their original style.

The concert opened with Combo I with a lively rendition of “There Will Never Be Another You” composed by Harry Warren, with lyrics written by Mack Gordon. It was a very smart choice to open the show with such an energetic and engaging performance. If one closed their eyes they could very easily feel like they had been transported back to a 1940s lounge at the Waldorf Astoria, sipping on a sidecar.

I particularly enjoyed a blues style cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” from his “Thriller” album. The heavy trombone featured in the performance gave the song an almost mournful tone that was wonderfully contrasted by the sultry tone of the saxophone. The tenor saxophonist, Ian Abbott, and the trombonist, Zach Alban, seemed very in sync with each other and harmonized marvelously.

The trumpet in Combo II was very refreshing.  If one listens to primarily pop music, it is rare to hear a trumpet, let alone a live trumpet. Unlike the bass, which is often a supporting instrument in the background, trumpet music is never subtle.

Trumpeter Brandon Ritchie played his instrument cleanly and the show ended on a high note with what pianist Malcolm Kelly accurately described as a, “very funkified and tricked out” version of Steve Kuhn’s “Saga of Harrison Crabfeather.” Kelly went forward to play unconventional yet phenomenal piano music. Often piano music is seen as overly conventional and tame, but Kelly completely broke that stereotype with his rambunctious piano playing.

The whole concert was very pleasant. It was a nice reminder of how delightful and enjoyable instrumental music can be.