The New Directions Ensemble made their debut on Monday, August 2nd, 2010 in Hartford's Bushnell Park.
Their follow-up performance took place on Monday, August 9th at Black-eyed Sally's in Hartford.

The Hartford Jazz Society is proud to sponsor the New Directions Jazz Ensemble, co-led by noted musician/educators Earl MacDonald and Kris Allen. This 10-piece group features seasoned veterans playing side-by-side with some of the most talented up-and-coming young musicians anywhere.

The group will be performing and administering educational workshops throughout Connecticut in the weeks ahead.  Check the itinerary portion of this site for upcoming performance dates. Come hear this powerful band perform original arrangements that showcase the incredible richness of the Hartford jazz scene.

Visibility / Association with the Hartford Jazz Society:

It is hoped that an active performing ensemble under the banner of the Hartford Jazz Society will help in further cultivating an image of organizational vibrancy by giving the HJS a very prominent, public face. By design, the group’s mandate is to assist in accomplishing the aims and purposes of the HJS – especially with relation to education and audience generation.

In addition to it's educational charge, the ensemble will perform at high profile events including major jazz festivals and within prominent concert venues.

Size, Scope & Personnel:

The ensemble’s instrumentation consists of 2 trumpets, 1 trombone, 1 French horn, 3 saxophones (1 alto, 1 tenor, 1 bari), piano, bass and drums. Although the instrumentation is fixed, the personnel roster will be somewhat fluid and representative of the rich diversity within the Greater Hartford jazz community. The 10-piece ensemble is comprised of seasoned professionals sitting side-by-side with “up and coming” university music students (and perhaps the occasional high school student with exceptional talent), thereby providing informal mentorship to serious younger players in the Hartford jazz scene.

Musical Style:

The ensemble will perform compositions and musical arrangements written primarily by Connecticut-based jazz artists who play within the ensemble.  The music will be artistic in nature and written for a listening audience, rather than dancers.  Music is intentionally written in a style which is current and relevant today, rather than in a manner which merely attempts to recreate the past.  However, by definition, it would not be publicly inaccessible or incessantly avant-garde.  The compositional approach would be a natural extension and offshoot from work by iconic preceding artists such as Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer, Bill Holman, Slide Hampton, Jim McNeely, Gerry Mulligan’s Concert Jazz Band, and the Rob McConnell.

Educational Outreach Component:

The above listed ensemble makeup reflects and represents the instrumental music offerings within the urban and suburban public school system - to which the HJS ensemble could potentially provide many valuable services.  The following could be presented to schools as scenarios for educational visitations:

1. A late afternoon master class, dinner with the students, and an evening concert at which the hosting high school band would play as “opening act”.  An en masse encore could possibly be incorporated.
2. A morning or afternoon concert and presentation (explaining jazz) to the entire school population.
3. Performances at high school jazz festivals throughout the state, including Manchester, Brien McMahon and Norwalk High Schools.  Members of the ensemble could potential serve as adjudicators.
4. Selected members of the HJS ensemble could visit high school and university ensemble rehearsals and function as clinicians.

Leadership / Administrative Structure

Earl MacDonald – Composer in Residence, piano

Kris Allen - Artistic Director, alto saxophone

Model Examples:

Examples of non-profit 501 c 3 structured ensembles with similar twofold missions of performance and jazz education include the Westchester Jazz Orchestra, the SF Jazz Collective and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.