Four combos comprised of 20 jazz musicians are gearing up to perform what their directors consider a valuable opportunity in their college careers.

Bebop, funk, blues and other forms of jazz are expected to fill the Doudna Fine Arts Center Theatre today as the Apollo Quintet, Vanguard Quintet, Birdland Quintet and Blue Note Sextet showcase their final concert of the semester.

The directors for the four combos, Paul Johnston and Dave Fink, said they are looking forward to hearing each combo’s different interpretations of the pieces being performed.

Johnston, director of the Birdland Quintet and the Blue Note Sextet, said students benefit from playing in front of an audience.

“Performing in such a wonderful space is also a valuable experience,” Johnston said. “I hope the audience enjoys hearing what our students have been working on recently.”

Johnston, coordinator of the combo program, said the tunes chosen for tonight’s concert were selected because the directors wanted to cover a variety of music written by important composers and jazz musicians.

Fink, the director of the Apollo Quintet and the Vanguard Quartet, said he is looking forward to the students showing the skills they have worked to accomplish this semester.

“The concert is a wonderful opportunity for the students to showcase their hard efforts and talent,” Fink said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about making some great music and having a lot of fun while you’re doing it.”

Fink and Johnston aren’t alone in wanting the students to have a good time performing what they’ve learned.

Cassie Bugbee, a trumpet player for the Apollo Quintet, said she is looking forward to performing well and seeing how far her combo has come.

Bugbee, a freshman music education major, said she wants the audience to see that the members of her combo enjoy themselves and are getting better.

“Teachers have told us that we don’t look like we’re having fun, we just look like we’re nervous and standing there, so hopefully we’re more comfortable and look like we’re having some fun,” Bugbee said.

Brandon Jelks, senior music education and music performance major, said he hopes his combo is in sync with one another and can put on a good show for the audience.

“I want (the audience) to enjoy themselves, have fun and basically just get an experience of what the EIU jazz department has for them and puts on,” Jelks, saxophonist for the Birdland Quintet, said.

The Birdland Quintet will perform tunes by Dave Douglas, Sonny Rollins and Blue Mitchell.

The Blue Note Sextet will perform tunes by Benny Golson, Thelonious Monk and Hoagy Carmichael.

The Apollo Quintet will feature music by Sonny Rollins, Luiz Bonfá and Antonio Maria and Bobby Watson.

The Vanguard Quartet will showcase pieces by Nat Adderley, Jimmy Van Heusen and Charlie Parker.

The jazz combo concert starts at 7:30 and is free to the public.

Kacie Berry can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].