A group of musicians in the Conservatory of Music and Dance at UMKC meet every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. to play jazz. They showed the results of their dedicated practice to the audience in Pierson Auditorium on Oct. 16. The group, called the Eleven o’Clock Jazz Band, is directed by Michael Pag n, assistant professor of jazz studies. The band played eight charts, which is slang for sheet music.

Pag n chose the pieces, he said, to create a combination of programming that displayed the talents of the members of the group. “I picked songs based on players’ abilities and to have diverse styles and programmings, ballad then fast, to showcase different talents of the band,” he said. Pag n counted off their first tune, “A Drop in the Bucket.” It was lively and upbeat and set the tone for the evening. The strong horns and drumbeats made it difficult to sit still.

The next chart, “Chelsea Bridge,” began with a trumpet solo by freshman Cory Griffin. His delicate slides and careful pitches made this sultry piece come to life. The band followed his lead, playing powerful swells with gentle returns to quiet. I could have easily been in the Blue Room sipping a martini. Pag n prefaced the next song for the audience. “There are some big surprises in this chart as well,” he said.

“This is a really mainstream version.” The song, “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” returned to the upbeat start of the show. The band played hot potato with the melody, giving every section a chance to shine. The drums and the double bass kept the beat moving. An energetic trombone solo by graduate student Geremy Grote claimed the spotlight for a while. The audience and Pag n were snapping and moving along.