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HOUGHTON - Four jazz acts will come together for the first jazz showcase of the school year.

Mike Irish, director of jazz studies at Michigan Technological University, said the fall showcase is an annual event which is the first big concert of the school year.

"There are going to be four groups who play over two nights," Irish said.

The Jazz Lab Band and Research and Development Big Band present Tech's annual Jazz Showcase at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday night in the McArdle Theatre. Jaztec will also perform Friday and Momentum will play Saturday.

"Both of the large jazz band ensembles are going to play both nights," he said. "The first band that will play is the Research and Development Big Band."

One of the jazz combos, Jaztec, will follow playing more mainstream jazz, some latin jazz and original compositions. After an intermission, the Jazz Lab Band will perform, he said.

"On Saturday night, we will have the Research and Development Big Band open the show again and then a different combo, Momentum, will perform," he said. "After an intermission, the Jazz Lab Band will play again to close the show."

Since Saturday is Halloween, Irish said to expect to see musicians in costume. In fact, he encourages attendees to wear costumes, also.

"Plus, we have a special tune we're going to play Saturday night which is very Halloween-oriented," Irish said.

A variety of jazz will be performed throughout the evenings, incorporating an eclectic mix of blues to funk, he said.

The Research and Development Big Band is open enrollment, which means a musician doesn't have to audition for the band.

"We get a real diverse background of people in the band," he said. "Mainly, the focus of that band is doing campus concerts."

The Jazz Lab Band is open by audition and performs extensive performances, including an annual Midwest tour beginning in January. The lab band features five trumpets, five saxophones, four trombones and a rhythm section, similar to the R&D Big Band. The Jazz Lab Band represents the modern-day extension of what was heard in the 1930s, like swing bands, but completely updated, Irish said.

"The kids who want to devote a little more time to jazz and jazz performance, generally, are in that band," Irish said. "We do a few of the older, classic jazz tunes but we've brought it into the 21st century."

Jaztec is a five-piece jazz combo which plays mainstream jazz, or the jazz heard anywhere from 1950 to today. Jaztec also performs latin jazz, which is a combination of jazz music with Caribbean rhythms and influence.

"A lot of the songs are pretty recognizable," he said. "It's usually very popular with people because the rhythms are very energetic."

Jaztec will perform one or two original compositions they wrote and also will take contemporary tunes played on the radio and give it a "jazz treatment."

"This year, they're doing 'Paparazzi' by Lady Gaga and they 'jazzify' it," Irish said.

Also a five-piece combo, Momentum tends to play more fusion and funk music, he said, and they toss in some blues in the mix.

The R&D Big Band highlights include "Afro Blue," "Broken Hearts" and "Straight Ahead." The Jazz Lab Band will perform tunes such as "Old Man River," "Ride the Wind" and "My Funny Valentine."

The combo bands perform different tunes such as their own songs "Funkstones," "Bolivia," "Groove Merchant" and "Electra Glide."

Tickets are available at the door and are $10 for the general public and are free for Michigan Tech students.

Stacey Kukkonen can be reached at skukkonen@mininggazette.com.