The Lee University Small Jazz Ensemble, directed by Shawn Perkinson, will perform on Wednesday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. in the Dixon Center on Lee’s campus.   
 
The group comprises 12 students including vocalists Raquel Davis, Jazmin DeRubeis, Natalie Lashley, Summer Chandler, and Tanner Jennings; guitarists Eli Daniel and Elijah Kyle; saxophonist Jarred Poe; drummer Dean Feldbush; bassist RayShawn McGruder; pianist Gabriel Brooks; and Renaldo Lopez on trombone.   
 
The concert will feature jazz classics such as “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Beautiful Love,” “All the Things You Are,” “Stars Fell on Alabama,” as well as arrangements by artists including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Horace Silver, George Benson, and Ella Fitzgerald.  
 
“The students of this semester’s Small Jazz Ensemble are passionate about learning and performing primarily jazz arrangements, so this concert reflects that interest by presenting nothing but jazz,” said Perkinson, instructor of commercial guitar at Lee. “With every semester comes transition of members, which makes for a challenging but extremely rewarding time for me as I get to watch these newer musicians tackle music they may have felt was beyond their capabilities but eventually become quite comfortable with during the course of our rehearsals. I’m very proud of these students and am looking forward to our concert.” 
 
Perkinson studied with Mark Boling, Donald Brown, and Jerry Coker while earning his bachelor’s degree in studio music and jazz from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has performed and recorded with many groups and artists over the years, including The Charlie Daniels Band and Widespread Panic.    
 
The event is free, non-ticketed, and open to the public. For livestream viewing, visit leeu.live.     
   
The Dixon Center is located on the corner of 11th and Church streets.       
 
For more information, contact the School of Music at (423) 614-8240 or [email protected].