On Thursday, Dec. 5, the NKU Jazz Ensemble brought the Christmas spirit to the York Street Café in Newport.

During the concert, William Brian Hogg, director and assistant professor and director of jazz studies, had much praise for the York Street Café for hosting them on this night, as well as this whole semester. In advertising, York Street Café considers itself “The new place for NKU Jazz!”

“It’s nice to have a place where you can relax, listen and be right up close and personal,” Hogg said, as he addressed the room filled with NKU students, faculty and family.

The night consisted of much holiday tunes including: “Let it Snow,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Sleigh Ride,” “Santa Baby,” “Joy to the World,” “Silent Night” and “Carol of the Drum.”

They weren’t the versions of the song you may remember from past years because of the added jazz feel to it, but that didn’t bother Chris Drake, sophomore political science major, from thinking it was a “stellar” performance.

“I will say that, ‘Sleigh Ride’ has always been my favorite piece of music until today because their ‘Silent Night’ and ‘Carol of the Drums’ was bad ass,” Drake said.

Throughout the concert, many of the songs had an extended length to add to the piece.  The length in which they play songs could vary a little bit depending on how long solos are, but that’s how they practice it according to Chris Sendelbach, junior jazz studies major and one of four trombone musicians in the concert.

“Originally, we plan them out and we leave some time in for solos and sometimes while we’re playing it, Will says ‘hey just keep going,’” Sendelbach said.

The concert was the last of its kind for this year, but according to Sendelbach, you can expect more in the spring semester in multiple venues including York Street Café and the Syndicate.