Recently dubbed the “Red Hot Chilli Leopards” (no, I’m not kidding), the Lafayette College Jazz Ensemble is a group of talented musicians who come together to play jazz music. I play the trombone and sing lead vocals in the ensemble, and I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to perform with such a talented group of musicians.

We’re led by the talented Grammy-winner Jeff “Tain” Watts, who has been a great mentor to me and the rest of the ensemble. I’ve learned a lot about jazz music and performance from him and have enjoyed the opportunity to perform at the end of each semester.

The Spring 2024 semester was particularly exciting for me, as I had the privilege of singing with the ensemble. I sang “Throw it Away” by Abbey Lincoln, and the performance went really well! It was such a fun experience, and different from singing with the jazz combo (but both are fun!).