Sioux City North High School has earned a reputation as one of the finest instrumental music programs in the state of Iowa. Under the direction of retired band director Larry Kisor, North High Jazz I has won the Iowa 4A Jazz Championships twelve times with six second place finishes – a record unmatched in the history of the event. The band was also selected to play in New York City at the 2006 Essentially Ellington youth jazz program. That is the highest honor that a high school jazz band can achieve. Other jazz band achievements include: playing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the IAJE Convention, and at the Midwest Music Convention in Chicago.

The North High Jazz studies program includes two jazz bands. Auditions are held in the fall and students begin rehearsing after the conclusion of the marching band season. Jazz I and Jazz Too both rehearse daily from 6:30 to 7:50 AM. Jazz I may also rehearse on selected Saturdays. The jazz bands perform at school concerts, a jazz concert, and compete in a variety of jazz festivals. They may also perform at a variety of community events. Jazz I is under the direction of Kevin Massey, with Jazz Too under the direction of Mark Henderson.


Morningside College Jazz Festival – Friday, February 10th, 2012


12:30 PM    Students are dismissed from school, to change into uniforms, and head to Morningside College Eppley Auditorium.  Grab a bite to eat on the way if you missed lunch.  Students are in charge of their own rides, and need to bring their own instruments, music, etc. This includes drums set, conga, guitar, and bass players.
1:45 PM    Set up equipment in storage area
2:30 PM    Jazz Too Warm Up in Room 100
3:00 PM    Jazz Too Performance in Eppley Auditorium and Jazz I Warm Up in Room 100
3:30 PM    Jazz I Performance in Eppley Auditorium and Jazz Too Clinic in Room 223
4:00 PM    Jazz I  Clinic in Room 223
4:30 PM    Pack up equipment and bring back to NHS
7:30 PM    Awards Concert – Guest Artists with Morningside College Jazz Band – Awards will follow the concert.  We will need a head count in advance of which students will attend the concert as we           get a limited number of free tickets for students. Parents / relatives will have to purchase             tickets to the evening awards concert.

Please remember to bring everything you need!!! Extra, broken in, reeds, mutes, music, valve oil, mouth pieces, etc.


Indianola Jazz Festival – Saturday, February 18th, 2012


5:00 AM – Load Bus – Bring food and drink for the ride and money for lunch. Dress is casual,
           but make sure you have all parts of uniform, instruments, music, mutes, etc. with
           you.

5:20 AM – Leave for Indianola (10 minute rest area stop on the way)

8:50 AM – Arrive at Indianola High School and move all equipment to our homeroom.

10:05 AM – Jazz One Warm Up – All jazz too players help with equipment.

10:30 AM – Jazz One Performance in auditorium - All jazz too players help with equipment and 
            watch

10:55 AM – Jazz One Clinic - All jazz too players help with equipment.

11:20 AM – Move all jazz one equipment back to homeroom and pack up jazz one equipment
             and load onto the bus.

12:35 PM – 4A awards in the auditorium

1:00 PM  - Eat lunch at festival – bring money or a sack lunch.

2:10 PM – Jazz Too warm up – Jazz One students help with equipment.

2:35 PM – Jazz Too performance in auditorium - Jazz OneToo students help with equipment and
                  Watch.

3:00 PM – Jazz Too clinic – Jazz One students help with equipment.

3:25 PM – Quickly move equipment back to homeroom and pack it up and load on bus

3:45 PM – Leave for home

7:00 PM – Arrive at NHS