Join us for a FREE evening of big band jazz at Stuart’s Opera House, featuring two community-based big bands from right here in SE Ohio! The Athens County High School Jazz Band will open the concert, featuring 20 of the finest high school musicians from our region, directed by Mr. Terry Robb. Terry served for many years as the band director at Nelsonville-York High School, and now volunteers his time to bring these students together each year to perform in our area.

The Athens Community Jazz Ensemble will follow with a set of swinging music originally recorded by the likes of Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, John Coltrane, Maynard Ferguson, Duke Ellington, and other jazz greats. The ACJE was created in 2021 with the goal of showcasing incredibly talented instrumentalists from all around SE Ohio. Members are from Nelsonville, Athens, Lancaster, Vincent, and Parkersburg WV. The band has performed at Stuart’s Opera House, Eclipse Company Store, Charlie’s Red Star Barn, and most recently on the Ohio University campus as part of the 2023 Athens Jazz Festival. The ACJE is directed by Matt James, Professor of Saxophone & Jazz Studies at the OU School of Music.