On the evening of Nov. 15, the stage in Ethel Lee Auditorium was set with a purplish-blue hue and a light fog. The Biola Jazz Ensemble, led by director Cliff Hulling, gave an energetic night of music, playing all sorts of pieces from boisterous big band jazz to tender, catchy ballads.

ALTO SAXOPHONIST: ARTHUR MONTOYA

Arthur Montoya, a senior with a Bible major and music minor, is the head alto saxophone player for the jazz band this year. Last year, he played the tenor saxophone to fill in, though his main instrument was originally the alto saxophone. As a result, this return to alto saxophone was quite easy for him.

Throughout the performance, Montoya could be distinctly heard through many of the songs. One particular song, called “Body and Soul,” was his favorite due to the impact it had on him during the moment.

“I really felt God’s presence during the cadenza,” Montoya said. “His grace was real in my heart and I knew I was fully forgiven in Christ.”

PROGRAM

The night kicked off with “Alexander’s Big Time Band” by Tom Kubis, a high-energy tune. Following that was “How High the Moon” by Morgan Lewis, which featured the entire trombone section.

The mood was toned down with the ballad “I’d Reminisce,” a song by Jason Rhue, a trombonist in the band. In the remarks before the song played, Hulling commented that it was Rhue’s birthday, leading to the entire audience singing “Happy Birthday.”

With the holiday season just around the corner, the band performed “Yo Tannenbaum” by Gordon Goodwin. The song is a playful jazz rendition of the traditional Christmas song “O Tannenbaum.”

“Body and Soul” by John Green, a graceful song, ended with Montoya playing the melody of “Amazing Grace.”

After two more songs, the concert came to a close. But as the applause died down, the Jazz Ensemble pleased the audience with “The Flintstones” as their encore piece, which gave spotlight to the band’s two guitarists as they ended the night.