St. Olaf Jazz Band

St. Olaf Jazz 1 is the premier undergraduate large jazz ensemble at St. Olaf College. Comprised of 21 members, the award-winning band is led by Dr. Joseph L. Jefferson. The jazz program at St. Olaf features two undergraduate ensembles that perform both on and off-campus concerts each academic year. These versatile groups showcase a wide range of styles, including swing, bebop, fusion, funk, salsa, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and traditional jazz idioms.

Joseph L. Jefferson: Director

St. Olaf Jazz I recently performed at the 2025 Midwest Clinic, the first time any St. Olaf ensemble has received this prestigious invitation.The ensemble was voted the “Best College or University Big Band” by Downbeat Magazine in May 2011, and was awarded “Outstanding Performance by Large Undergraduate Jazz Ensemble” by the publication in 2019. In 2016, St. Olaf Jazz 1 toured Cuba, offering concerts in Havana and Matanzas including collaborations with renowned jazz trumpeter Rodolfo Jorge Horta Hernandez, the Banda Provincial de la Ciudad de Matanzas, and Joaquin Betancourt and his La Joven Jazz Band. After the tour, Jazz 1 released its first vinyl recording, "Cubano Be, Cubano Bop." St. Olaf Jazz I was voted the “Best College or University Big Band” by Downbeat Magazine in May 2011, and was awarded “Outstanding Performance by Large Undergraduate Jazz Ensemble” by the publication in 2019. In 2016, St. Olaf Jazz 1 toured Cuba, offering concerts in Havana and Matanzas including collaborations with renowned jazz trumpeter Rodolfo Jorge Horta Hernandez, the Banda Provincial de la Ciudad de Matanzas, and Joaquin Betancourt and his La Joven Jazz Band. After the tour, Jazz 1 released its first vinyl recording, Cubano Be, Cubano Bop. In recent years, the St. Olaf Jazz ensembles have hosted and performed with a number jazz artists, including Sean Jones, Alison Crockett, Melissa Aldana, Fat Kid Wednesdays, Matt Wilson Quartet, David Berkman Quartet, Kenny Werner Trio, Armen Donelian Trio, David Sanchez, Dave Pietro, Luke Gillespie, Pat Harbison, Ray Vasquez, Dave Graf, Chris Bates Group, and Debbie Duncan, among others. This spring, St. Olaf will present its third annual Jazz Residency, featuring acclaimed pianist Willerm Delisfort.
Dr. Joseph L. Jefferson is an award-winning educator, performer, and scholar known for his versatility and leadership in music. He serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Ensembles at St. Olaf College, where he also teaches applied jazz/commercial trombone. His performance career spans jazz, symphonic, and commercial styles, with collaborations including Vanessa Williams, Sean Jones, Catherine Russell, and the Cab Calloway Orchestra. Widely recognized for his contributions to jazz education, Dr. Jefferson was named one of Yamaha’s 40 Under 40 in 2023 and received the Jazz Education Network’s Ellis Marsalis, Jr. Jazz Educator of the Year Award in 2022. His ensembles and students have received national and international recognition, and his leadership in revitalizing the Southeast Missouri State University jazz program was highlighted by Yamaha’s Lean Into Change initiative. A frequent clinician and guest conductor, Dr. Jefferson works regularly with Jazz at Lincoln Center, served as a judge for the 30th Anniversary of the Essentially Ellington Festival, and has presented at major conventions and festivals including TMEA, FMEA, the International Trombone Festival, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, and the Reno Jazz Festival. His scholarship includes research on the Shout Band tradition and publications such as The Art of Jazz Programming. Dedicated to mentorship and music education, Dr. Jefferson has taught at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Summer Jazz Academy and the International Trombone Festival’s Youth Workshop. His teaching excellence has been recognized with honors such as the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards Distinguished Professor in the Arts, Shenandoah University’s Black Alumni Network Impact Award, and the Outstanding Teaching Award at his previous institution.

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