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The West Point Band's Jazz Knights

For almost four decades the United States Military Academy Band’s Jazz Knights have brought musical excellence to their audiences by presenting the best in big band favorites, popular music, and original compositions and arrangements for jazz ensemble. Members of the group are graduates of some of America's most prestigious music schools such as the University Of North Texas, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Berklee School of Music, and the Manhattan School of Music. They are recruited and selected through a competitive audition process specifically for service in the United States Military Academy Band at West Point. Past and present members of the band have played with such icons as Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Ahmad Jamal, Chaka Kahn, Prince, Billy Cobham, and the Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller Orchestras.

The Jazz Knights’ highlights over the years include playing with Benny Goodman at Lincoln Center in 1982, performing with the Duke Ellington Orchestra for the 200th Anniversary of the New York State Legislature, and twice appearing at the Hatch Shell for Boston's Independence Day celebration. The Jazz Knights have also performed for festivals and music educators' conventions, including the International Association for Jazz Education conventions, the Western International Band Clinic, the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Festival, the International Society of Bassists' convention and the New York State Band Director’s Association Conference in 2008. Notable guests who have performed with the Jazz Knights include David Baker, Bobby Watson, David Liebman, Rufus Reid, John Clayton, Eddie Daniels, Steve Turre, James Carter, Randy Brecker, Michael Abene, Steve Wiest, Jon Faddis, Jim Snidero, Gary Smulyan, Scott Wendholt, and Benny Golson.

At West Point, the Jazz Knights provide music for numerous functions throughout the year. In combination with the Concert Band and field music unit, the Hellcats, they help fulfill official musical requirements of the Military Academy and the Army, including military and patriotic ceremonies both at West Point and throughout the country. The Jazz Knights also perform for the summer concert series at the Trophy Point Amphitheatre and for the winter concert series at Eisenhower Hall. Their performances recreate the sounds of the greatest jazz ensembles and the innovative styles of today through their original compositions and arrangements.

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights are:

Saxophones/Reeds
Sergeant First Class Mike Reifenberg
Staff Sergeant Derrick James
Staff Sergeant Xavier Perez
Staff Sergeant David Loy Song
Sergeant First Class Jay Malone

Trumpets/Flugelhorns
Staff Sergeant John Castleman
Staff Sergeant Vito Speranza
Staff Sergeant Josh Economy
Sergeant First Class Rich Johnson

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5
Album Review

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights: Turning Points

Read "Turning Points" reviewed by Edward Blanco


Based at the United States Military Academy in upstate New York, the West Point Band's Jazz Knights just happens to be one of those unheralded big bands around. Performing at public events as part of its official duties, the Knights are rarely given the credit they are due as an uncommon and exceptional musical organization. Perhaps the production of the stellar Turning Points may be that secret weapon that defines this group as world-class in every way. A seventeen-piece big ...

318
Album Review

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights: At First Light

Read "At First Light" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello


Decades ago, the great bandleader Stan Kenton created a spoken prologue to an album recording. It was entitled “This Is an Orchestra." In that brief monologue, which was interspersed with brief performance examples, Kenton detailed the individual and ensemble components, integration, and overall creative mix that “made" the Kenton Jazz Orchestra what it was. At First Light epitomizes the absolute best that its soloists, sections, ensembles, and arrangers and composers have to offer. It is a truly ...

281
Album Review

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights: At First Light

Read "At First Light" reviewed by Jerry D'Souza


The United States Military Academy has several bands drawn from graduates of prestigious music schools in the U.S. The Jazz Knights, who form one segment, have been around for 30 years. During that time they have played with Benny Goodman and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and have also welcomed Steve Turre, James Carter and John Clayton, among others, as guests. At First Light tells its own tale of a resolute band, with a program of original material and a couple ...

217
Album Review

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights: At First Light

Read "At First Light" reviewed by Woodrow Wilkins


Imagine serving your country by displaying your artistic gifts. That's what the members of the West Point Band's Jazz Knights do, and they do it well. The U.S. Military Academy Band's Jazz Knights have been doing it for more than 30 years. The members are carefully selected from various institutions around the United States. They've played with a variety of jazz icons, such as Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Ahmad Jamal, Count Basie and the Glenn Miller ...

326
Album Review

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights: At First Light

Read "At First Light" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


The Jazz Knights, West Point's jazz ensemble, is the U.S Army's contribution to big band jazz. An outfit that recruits its members from the finest of the nation's music education schools, it has produced a vibrant, first rate outing with At First Light.It's obvious within the first moments of the opening cut, the Dietz/Swartz standard, “Alone Together," that the Jazz Knights are a disciplined, polished outfit. Their rhythm team is tight and a bunch of horn guys buff ...

601
Album Review

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights: At First Light

Read "At First Light" reviewed by Edward Blanco


With jazz music under assault lately from the recent loss of IAJE to the demise of jazz radio stations throughout the country, it's comforting to know that jazz has many defenders everywhere. Among them are the soldier-musicians from the United States Military Academy at West Point, known as The Academy's Jazz Knights Big Band. They've launched a salvo of dazzling big band music with the self-released At First Light, an album of dynamite-packed swinging big band charts, guaranteed ...

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245

Recording

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights Release New CD, 'At First Light'

The West Point Band's Jazz Knights Release New CD, 'At First Light'

Source: All About Jazz

For over three decades the West Point Band's Jazz Knights have brought musical excellence to their audiences by presenting the best in a variety of big band styles from swing era favorites to contemporary sounds to original music for jazz ensemble. Now, the Jazz Knights are proud to announce the release of their latest CD titled At First Light, featuring all original compositions and arrangements by the members of the band along with new music commissioned by the Jazz Knights. ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Turning Points

Self Produced
2013

buy

At First Light

Self Produced
2009

buy

At First Light

Self Produced
2008

buy

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