Fred Sturm, director
In May of 2007, the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble's long standing reputation as one of America's finest collegiate jazz groups was reaffirmed by earning DownBeat Magazine's Outstanding Collegiate Big Band Performance Award for the third time in the past two decades. LUJE members have repeatedly been cited for the Best Original Composition/Extended Composition Award, Best Jazz Arrangement Award, and Outstanding Jazz Instrumental Solo Performance Award. Under the direction of Fred Sturm, LUJE performs and records frequently throughout the school year, presenting cutting edge large ensemble literature, historically significant works, Lawrence student and faculty compositions and arrangements, and accompanying visiting jazz solo artists (see Jazz Celebration Weekend 2008 link for list of guest artists).
Recent Repertoire
• New Works by Lawrence Jazz Students (compositions and arrangements for large jazz ensemble)
• Earthworks II: A World Music Celebration (improvisation-based folk and ethnic music)
• The Jazz Century: Celebrating 100 Years of Jazz History
• Gil Evans (arranger) Porgy and Bess (complete score as recorded by Miles Davis)
• Gil Evans (arranger) Miles Ahead (complete score as recorded by Miles Davis)
• Lars Jansson Temenos (original compositions for large jazz ensemble)
• Maria Schneider Hang Gliding, Three Romances, Aires de Lando, and Sky Blue
• Bob Brookmeyer Celebration and KP '94
• Jim McNeely The Swedish Thing
• Kenny Wheeler Now and Now Again, Sea Lady, W.W., and We Salute the Night
• The Big Band Works of Benny Golson
• Jamey Simmons Lock Box (winner of the Brussels Jazz Composers Competition)
• Anita Brown The Lighthouse
• Chuck Owen Glib
• David Cutler Kopanitza
• Geir Lysne Ingen vinner frem til den evige ro (No One Attains Eternal Peace)
• Fred Sturm (arranger) Bodacious Cowboys: 3 Decades of Steely Dan (11 arrangements)
• Fred Sturm (arranger) Tango Nuevo: The Music of Astor Piazzolla (8 arrangements)
• Fred Sturm Abstraktes Bild (2003 ASCAP/IAJE Commission in Honor of Quincy Jones)
For more information, go to the Jazz and Improvisational Music page