Before the last jazz performance of the semester began, Sam Fagaly, director of the EIU Jazz Ensemble, said, “I hope the audience will be able to enjoy some of the old-style music to contemporary music being played at tonight’s performance.”

The performance took place at Leo J. Dvorak Concert Hall in the Quincy V. Doudna Fine Arts Center Tuesday night.

The Jazz Ensemble featured special guest soloist Faculty member Michael Stryker, music professor, on the piano gracing the audience at intermission with a few selected holiday tunes.

The show was highlighted by arrangements by Bob Mintzer’s “Party Time.” Soloists in Mintzer’s piece included Scott Hargis on the trombone and saxophonist Waylon Schroeder.

Schroeder also performed in other pieces such as Ellen Rowe’s Latin piece “Cross Currents,” “Midnight Bell’s” by Les Hooper and “81” by Miles Davis and Ron Carter.

“Davis and Carter’s piece was exceptional with the student soloists,” Rick Howder of the audience said at intermission.

At the end of the performance Megha Patel and Rick Howder both agreed that, “with the aid of the instruction of Sam Fagaly, the Jazz Ensemble’s rendition of “Cross Currents” by Ellen Rowe was magnificent.”

“Midnight Bells” by Les Hooper also was said to be very well done.

The last song to be played before intermission was “81” by Miles Davis and Ron Carter off of Davis’s recorded album “ESP”.

“It was directed beautifully,” Patel said as she was standing outside with others during intermission.

The second half of the evening included Simon Marks’ “All of Me”, Herb Ellis’ “A Country Boy”, Frank Mantooth’s “The Slug,” and Spence’s, Bergman’s, and Keith’s piece “Nice and Easy”.