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The Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra offered up classic and modern/contemporary arrangements of holiday classics to help 鈥渟wing鈥� audiences into the holiday spirit at the Dekker Centre just before Christmas. The audience response was enthusiastic and included members of the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Jazz Band, who had a chance to perform as well.

The Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra is committed to presenting the highest caliber professional large jazz ensemble music through its programming and through the featuring of local and nationally/internationally celebrated jazz talent. Artistic Director Dean McNeill told the Dekker Centre audience another thing SJO is committed to is encouragement and support of the upcoming generation of musicians in Saskatchewan.

When the group goes on the road, he explained, they often ask local youth musicians to perform, just as they asked the NBCHS Jazz Band to play at their Dekker Centre performance. He described the NBCHS ensemble as a wonderful group of musicians.

He also had words of praise for band teacher Jackie Kroczinski.

McNeill, who is married to a band teacher, said, 鈥淚 have an enormous amount of admiration and respect for all teachers, but music teachers, fine arts teachers 鈥� they are very special. They put on public display what they do in the classroom, which generally doesn鈥檛 happen to someone teaching geography or math.鈥�

He added, 鈥淭hey generally don鈥檛 enjoy something called 鈥榣unch鈥� because at lunchtime they are doing this!鈥�

Music teachers are special people who make a big difference in the community, said McNeill.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a gigantic, audacious job, and I鈥檝e seen Jackie working so hard with these students 鈥� she鈥檚 always bringing them to Saskatoon to be at music festivals 鈥� she鈥檚 carrying on a long tradition of other people I admire so much like Gene Aulinger.

He said, 鈥淵ou have really great teachers in your community, and Jackie is one of them, so be nice to them.鈥�

McNeill also addressed Canadians鈥� tendency toward self-deprecation.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a misconception in cities large and small that people who are doing their thing in the community are 鈥榣ocal鈥� talent. 鈥楬ow good could it be? It鈥檚 here, right?鈥� And Canadians are particularly bad at thinking that way,鈥� said McNeill.

He pointed to the NBCHS Jazz Band as an example. He also pointed to the Dekker Centre as an example of things the Battlefords should be proud of.

鈥淵ou have something in this community we don鈥檛 have in Saskatoon and we are very envious 鈥� this beautiful, beautiful building.鈥�

He complimented the staff as being great to work with and the venue as a world class facility.

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a pleasure to play here,鈥� said McNeill. 鈥淭hank you for that.鈥�

The SJO brought the Christmas classic The Nutcracker Suite to life in the style of famous jazz artists such as Duke Ellington, and featured Saskatoon vocalist Jessica Robinson over three-city tour that started with North Battleford Dec. 13 and going on to Moose Jaw and Saskatoon.

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