Studio Jazz Ensemble

Darren Castello, Director 

The COC jazz ensemble has been in the forefront of jazz education in Santa Clarita since the early years of our college’s history, led first by pioneer jazz educator R.K. Downs, and followed by composer/arranger Dirk Fischer who led the COC Jazz department for 27 years after that. In 2022, Darren Castello began leading the ensemble and continues the tradition of providing excellent live jazz music in the Santa Clarita Valley. 

The Studio Jazz Ensemble is a contemporary big band that presents modern interpretations of literature from the Swing era and the Latin tradition, as well as funk, fusion, and pop charts. The focus of this ensemble is professional performance training which requires students to establish a daily personal practice habit. Students selected to participate with this ensemble often have substantial prior experience performing jazz as well as excellent reading skills. 

Auditions are required for participation each semester, and sometimes rhythm section chairs are shared between multiple players. Auditions cover three areas: instrument mastery (scales and/or a prepared piece), soloing over blues changes, and sightreading big band charts.  

The group occasionally works with vocalists but is an instrumental ensemble by design. Vocalists seeking a jazz ensemble should start with Music-171 Vocal Jazz Ensemble. And anyone looking for an introduction and first steps into jazz will find Music-151 Jazz Improvisation an excellent place to start.  

We present a concert each semester at the Performing Arts Center on campus, and may perform off campus as well. Students may get selected to participate in recording sessions, and we regularly invite professional jazz artists from around the U.S. to rehearse and perform with our students.  

In April of 2024 the Studio Jazz Ensemble traveled out of state to participate in the annual Reno Jazz Festival held at University of Nevada Reno. In May of 2026 we were awarded 1st place in the college division at the annual Super Jazz Festival in Valencia.  

In addition to performing, travel, and recording, the ensemble also enjoys workshops and clinics throughout the year. Recent guest artists and clinicians with the ensemble have included Wayne Bergeron, Dan Balmer, Aaron Janick, Carey Frank, Iliana Rose, Katisse Buckingham, David Crozier, Dave Anderson and the Groove Lexicon Big Band, as well as local Santa Clarita jazz artists Alex Withmory, Jim Honeyman, Johnathan Osterloh, Ian Vo, Brian Leff, Ryan Buchanan, Nathaniel Coyne, and others.  

Check our calendar for COC concert information. 

If you have questions about the Studio Jazz Ensemble please reach out via email to darren.castello@canyons.edu.