Mark Urness and Lee Tomboulian, directors
Lawrence University Jazz Small Groups serve over 60 students in quartets, quintets, sextets, and octets. These ensembles study small group performance practice and improvisation in 2-3 weekly sessions that thoughtfully link theory and practice, promote aural training, emphasize traditional jazz repertoire, and explore contemporary improvisational concepts.
The Jazz Small Groups perform and record frequently throughout the school year. Ensemble repertoire typically includes swing, bop, hard bop, free jazz, contemporary jazz, and original student compositions. Groups study recorded performances by historically significant jazz artists and examine the works of composers such as Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, and Ornette Coleman. Groups also focus upon the recordings and repertoire of visiting guest artists such as Wayne Shorter (2002-03), Charles Mingus (Mingus Big Band 2003-04), Dave Douglas (2003-04), Tim Hagans (2004-05), Kenny Wheeler (2005-06), and Benny Golson (2005-06).
Students participating in Lawrence jazz small groups, big bands, jazz improvisation classes, and applied lessons accrue standard jazz repertoire through a program titled Jazz Tune of the Week (see list of compositions below). A carefully balanced mix of 30 jazz compositions each year (120 over the span of 4 years) encourages students to assimilate essential standard jazz repertoire.
In the spring of 2003, the Lawrence John Coltrane Ensemble received an outstanding performance award at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival in Chicago.
Go to Jazz and Improvisational Music for more information
2009-2010 “Jazz Tune of the Week” Repertoire
| Week | Title | Composer |
| 1 | Blue Seven | Rollins |
| 2 | Isfahan | Ellington/Strayhorn |
| 3 | Three Little Words | Ruby/Kalmar |
| 4 | Once I Loved | Jobim |
| 5 | Whisper Not | Golson |
| 6 | Star Eyes | Raye/DePaul |
| 7 | Speak Low | Weill |
| 8 | You're My Everything | Warren |
| 9 | One by One | Shorter |
| 10 | Emily | Mandel |
| 11 | Blues in the Closet | Pettiford |
| 12 | Love for Sale | Porter |
| 13 | I Could Write a Book | Rodgers |
| 14 | Groovin' High | Gillespie |
| 15 | But Not For Me | Gershwin |
| 16 | Killer Joe | Golson |
| 17 | Chelsea Bridge | Strayhorn |
| 18 | Beatrice | Rivers |
| 19 | I Thought About You | Van Heusen |
| 20 | 'Smatta | Wheeler |
| 21 | Gingerbread Boy | Heath |
| 22 | Up Jumped Spring | Hubbard |
| 23 | Desafinado | Jobim |
| 24 | I Remember You | Schertzinger |
| 25 | East of the Sun | Bowman |
| 26 | Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum | Shorter |
| 27 | If I Should Lose You | Rainger |
| 28 | You and the Night and the Music | Schwartz |
| 29 | Recorda-me | Henderson |
| 30 | Stablemates | Golson |
2008-2009 “Jazz Tune of the Week” Repertoire
| Week | Title | Composer |
1 |
Bessie's Blues | John Coltrane |
2 |
Cantaloupe Island |
Herbie Hancock |
3 |
I Mean You | Thelonious Monk |
4 |
What is This Thing Called Love? | Cole Porter |
5 |
Bluesette | Jean "Toots" Thielemans |
6 |
In a Mellow Tone | Duke Ellington |
7 |
Ceora | Lee Morgan |
8 |
Body and Soul | Johnny Green |
9 |
A Foggy Day | George Gershwin |
10 |
Nardis | Miles Davis |
11 |
Billie's Bounce | Charlie Parker |
12 |
Out of Nowhere | Green/Heyman |
13 |
There Will Never Be Another You |
Harry Warren |
14 |
Well You Needn't | Thelonious Monk |
15 |
Like Someone in Love | Van Heusen/Burke |
16 |
Polka Dots and Moonbeams | Van Heusen/Burke |
17 |
Beautiful Love | Victor Young |
18 |
Lady Bird/Half-Nelson | Tadd Dameron/Miles Davis |
19 |
When Will The Blues Leave? | Ornette Coleman |
20 |
The Way You Look Tonight | Jerome Kern |
21 |
Blues for Alice | Charlie Parker |
22 |
Don't Get Around Much Anymore | Duke Ellington |
23 |
I'll Remember April | Gene DePaul |
24 |
Yes and No | Wayne Shorter |
25 |
If You Never Come to Me | Antonio Carlos Jobim |
26 |
Alone Together | Dietz & Schwartz |
27 |
In Walked Bud | Thelonious Monk |
28 |
Yesterdays | Jerome Kern |
29 |
On Green Dolphin Street | Bronislau Kaper |
30 |
Speak No Evil | Wayne Shorter |
2007-2008 “Jazz Tune of the Week” Repertoire
| Week | Title | Composer |
| 1 | Blue Monk | Thelonious Monk |
| 2 | Confirmation | Charlie Parker |
| 3 | Donna Lee | Miles Davis |
| 4 | Solar | Miles Davis |
| 5 | Little Sunflower | Freddie Hubbard |
| 6 | I Love You | Cole Porter |
| 7 | Doxy | Sonny Rollins |
| 8 | St. Thomas | attr. Sonny Rollins |
| 9 | I Can’t Get Started | Vernon Duke |
| 10 | Stella by Starlight | Victor Young |
| 11 | Sandu | Clifford Brown |
| 12 | Joy Spring | Clifford Brown |
| 13 | Blue in Green | Evans/Davis |
| 14 | Night and Day | Cole Porter |
| 15 | In Your Own Sweet Way | Dave Brubeck |
| 16 | Have You Met Miss Jones? | Rodgers/Hart |
| 17 | Evidence | Thelonious Monk |
| 18 | Naima | John Coltrane |
| 19 | One Finger Snap | Herbie Hancock |
| 20 | E.S.P. | Wayne Shorter |
| 21 | Freddie the Freeloader | Miles Davis |
| 22 | Airegin | Sonny Rollins |
| 23 | It Could Happen To You | Burke/Van Heusen |
| 24 | Dolphin Dance | Herbie Hancock |
| 25 | Hot House | Tadd Dameron |
| 26 | Lazy Bird | John Coltrane |
| 27 | Woody‘n You | Dizzy Gillespie |
| 28 | Giant Steps | John Coltrane |
| 29 | ‘Round Midnight | Thelonious Monk |
| 30 | Straight, No Chaser | Thelonious Monk |
2006-2007 “Jazz Tune of the Week” Repertoire
| Week | Title | Composer |
| 1 | Mr. P.C. | John Coltrane |
| 2 | So What | Miles Davis |
| 3 | Blue Bossa | Kenny Dorham |
| 4 | Tenor Madness | Sonny Rollins |
| 5 | Oleo | Sonny Rollins |
| 6 | Take the 'A' Train | Billy Strayhorn |
| 7 | A Night in Tunisia | Dizzy Gillespie |
| 8 | In A Sentimental Mood | Duke Ellington |
| 9 | Girl from Ipanema | Antonio Carlos Jobim |
| 10 | Just Friends | Klenner and Lewis |
| 11 | Footprints | Wayne Shorter |
| 12 | Maiden Voyage | Herbie Hancock |
| 13 | How Insensitive | Jobim |
| 14 | Moose the Mooche | Charlie Parker |
| 15 | Summertime | George Gershwin |
| 16 | Bag's Groove | Milt Jackson |
| 17 | Song for My Father | Horace Silver |
| 18 | My Funny Valentine | Rodgers and Hart |
| 19 | Lonely Woman | Ornette Coleman |
| 20 | Caravan | Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol |
| 21 | All Blues | Miles Davis |
| 22 | Autumn Leaves | Joseph Kosma |
| 23 | Triste | Jobim |
| 24 | Au Privave | Parker |
| 25 | Rhythm-A-Ning | Thelonius Monk |
| 26 | All The Things You Are | Kern and Hammerstein |
| 27 | Manteca | Dizzy Gillespie |
| 28 | Lament | J.J. Johnson |
| 29 | Prelude to a Kiss | Duke Ellington |
| 30 | Cherokee | Ray Noble |
