Jazz, TX presents: The Bradley Jazz Ensemble

Sun, Nov 24

The Bradley Jazz Ensemble is the premier flagship ensemble of the Bradley Jazz dynasty. It is exclusively comprised of the top-tier young musicians of the Bradley Middle School Band program. Under the direction of Karlos Elizondo, students delve into a diverse repertoire of jazz big band music and its many styles, from classic Big Band era music to Swing, Funk, Rock, Salsa, etc. The curriculum allows students to refine their ensemble playing and improvisational skills in a safe, supportive environment, while nurturing their professional skills through real world application. The Bradley Band program is a musical incubator for the most accomplished young musicians in the area. The Bradley Jazz Ensemble regularly competes and takes top honors in several south and central Texas jazz festivals and presents multiple performances throughout the year, including community concerts, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring concerts. In March of 2024, the Bradley Jazz program completed their first ever “Bradley Jazz Texas Tour” which featured our 107 musicians in 5 Jazz bands over 23 shows spanning the entire school year. The Bradley Jazz Ensemble has shared the stage with such notables as; Doug Lawrence (Count Basie Orchestra), Curtis Calderon (The Four Freshman), OPERA San Antonio, Ron Wilkins, Micheal Dease and many others. Notable venues and events that the Bradley Jazz Ensemble has played include: South Texas Jazz Project (KRTU - Jazz 91.7), Parker Jazz Club (Austin, TX); Jazz, TX (SATX Pearl), The Blue Star Arts Complex (SATX), The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, and the 2019 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Convention as selected participants. Combined, the Bradley Jazz Directors have over 40 years of experience in music education and performance. Karlos Elizondo serves as the Director of Bands and Miguel Vilas serves as the Associate Director of Bands.