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The Northern Kentucky Music Department will hold a Jazz Ensemble on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 8 p.m. in Greaves Concert Hall.

The ensemble will feature Gordon Brisker, a notable jazz musician, composer and master improviser, performing some of his original compositions.

Jazz Ensemble Director James Bunte said the ensemble will be a dose of “Big Band Jazz,” with five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, a piano, bass and a drum.

Brisker will play the saxophone.

NKU student and Jazz Ensemble vocalist Erin Sweeny will sing several compositions.

Bunte said that the idea behind big band jazz is “improvising,” meaning people in the band can stand up and playing a spur-of-the-moment, unrehearsed piece.

“We teach the students to do this,” he said.

NKU jazz students were also chosen to play in Frankfort for Northern Kentucky Night, where Gov. Ernie Fletcher will be present, Bunte said.

Bunte invites anyone to come and take a part in the ensemble.

“All you have to do is audition,” he said.

You don’t have to be a music major to get involved..

Bunte will also offer a jazz summer camp this year.

The jazz camp will allow high school and college students to come for a week and pay a $200 fee to learn jazz and improvisation.

The ensemble is free for students and faculty and $2 for the public.

For more information, please call 572-5902 or you can visit http://music.nku.edu

To learn more about the camp, visit http://music.nku.edu/jazzcamp/