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MPS's Award-Winning High School Jazz Combo Talks Influence and Performance

Bonnie North
Milwaukee High School of the Arts' Jazz Lab Combo in the Lake Effect studio

The Jazz Lab Combo, from MPS’s Milwaukee High School of the Arts is one of just two student groups in the country to win a major national award from DownBeat Magazine, the 2016 Performing Arts High School Outstanding Performances award. Not only that, but it was the third year in a row the school has been honored by DownBeat.

Joining us in the studio were Doug Syme, the director of jazz studies at Milwaukee High School of the Arts and chairman of the school’s art department. And the members of the combo – Ben Havens-Hansen on bass, Travis Drow on trumpet, Matthew Rotker-Lynn on guitar, and Lester Thompson on drums.

The high-caliber playing from the young musicians comes from great thought and experience. Rotker-Lynn explains "I'm sure everyone knows someone that plays guitar and they know the solo to 'Stairway to Heaven' or something, but they don't actually know what notes they're playing or what scales they're using."

Havens-Hansen describes a similar concept on bass: "It requires a whole lot of knowledge on the pre- and proceeding chords so you really need to know what direction you're going." Or simply put, "If you like math you can like bass."

The musicians will graduate from MHSA next weekend. And who will replace them? Syme is confident when he says "there is always talent in the arts."

jazz_lab_combo_music1.mp3
MHSA Jazz Combo playing the Miles Davis tune, "Sippin' at Bell's."

jazz_lab_combo_music2.mp3
MHSA Jazz Combo playing "Nica's Dream," written by Horace Silver.

Bonnie North
Bonnie joined WUWM in March 2006 as the Arts Producer of the locally produced weekday magazine program Lake Effect.