Several students involved in the Warrior Band program at Westside have formed a small Jazz Combo, with the help of director Thomas Krueger. The band plays around Omaha at private events and even performs downtown.

Junior Caden Cervantes is a member of the new band. Cervantes said that there had been talk of forming a new band, but it hadn’t come into reality until recently.

“We had been talking for a while about starting a combo, but never had the chance to get it started,” Cervantes said. “When we were invited to the dinner, though, we kicked into gear and started rehearsing a set list. When we perform, the experience when playing together is amazing and we want others to experience that too.”

Cervantes said that the Westside Community can help support the Westside band program by attending performances, concerts, plays and musicals throughout the year. 

“We really appreciate the support when people come out to see us, and if you haven’t already, you should look for chances to support the arts at our school,” Cervantes said. “We had a district jazz concert earlier this week, we have a band and a choir concert in a few days and WHS theater is performing “Dirt” this weekend. These shows are really fun, and we’d love to see you there.”

Senior Lademi Davies is also a member of Westside’s combo band. Davies said that one of the best parts of participating in the band is the experience gained from performing at events.

“I’m really excited that we get to have more gig experience through this combo!” Davies said. “Playing in small groups is a lot of fun, and performing for other people is an awesome experience. It’s a great way for jazz students to get out there and apply what they know.”.

Westside’s combo jazz band will continue to perform at events throughout the year. To hire the band for your next event, you can contact Mr. Kruger at [email protected] or DM the group on Instagram at @whs_jazz_combo