UNT Division of Jazz Studies

A Short History by Dr. David Joyner

commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first college jazz degree

In 1942, M. E. Hall, a North Texas graduate music student, was asked to teach dance band arranging to two students. Wilfred Bain, dean of the School of Music, asked Hall to write his master's thesis on a proposed curriculum for a dance band major. That thesis became the basis for the UNT jazz degree curriculum. Hall left the school in 1944 after receiving his master of music degree, but returned in 1947 at the request of the newly-named music dean, Walter H. Hodgson, to institute a degree program in dance band. The program included formation of the Two O'Clock Lab Band, the first performing dance band ensemble for which students were permitted to receive credit hours. As the jazz program grew, additional laboratory bands were needed to accommodate the numbers of students desiring to enroll. The bands were named for the hours at which they met, and, in the early years, the premier band was the Two O'Clock Lab Band.

In 1959, Hall accepted a teaching position at Michigan State University and was succeeded by Leon Breeden, a respected clarinetist, saxophonist, arranger and composer who had previously declined an offer to be staff arranger for the Boston Pops Orchestra under Arthur Fiedler. Breeden initiated moving rehearsal time for the flagship band up one hour; today it is known as the One O'Clock Lab Band for the hour at which it rehearses. (A persistent misconception is that the band takes its name from the popular big band tune "One O'Clock Jump.") Before Breeden stepped down in 1981, North Texas lab bands had received almost 50 national awards for group performance and for individual performance. Under Breeden's direction, the One O'Clock shared billing with Duke Ellington and Stan Getz at the White House (1967), appeared as official big band of the Montreux International Jazz Festival in Switzerland and toured Germany (1970), Mexico (1967), Portugal and the Soviet Union (1976) under auspices of the U. S. Department of State; and performed three consecutive years on jazz concerts at Spoleto U.S.A. Festival in Charleston, S.C. (1977-79).

In August 1981, Neil Slater, founder and director of the jazz program at the University of Bridgeport, Conn., succeeded Breeden as director of the One O'Clock and Chair of Jazz Studies. Under Slater's direction, the One O'Clock has continued to make annual recordings and tour extensively with appearances at Pori, North Sea, Montreux and Antibes jazz festivals (1982), in Australia (1986), Mexico (1990), Canada and the Pacific Northwest (1991), and Portugal (1993). The band toured Japan for three weeks during the summer of 1996. Since 1967, the One O'Clock has issued 35 albums, including 29 annual releases. Two albums, Lab '75 and Lab '76, received Grammy nominations for performance and were the first such nominations bestowed by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) to a student band. On Lab '89 , the One O'Clock recorded "Got A Match," composed by Chick Corea and arranged by Mike Bogle, who received an individual Grammy nomination for the arrangement. In 1993, Slater received an individual nomination for his arrangement of his original work, "Values," which was recorded by the One O'Clock on Lab '91.

From one teacher, a handful of students, and almost no printed music, the division of jazz studies at North Texas has grown into a program which includes small groups, vocal jazz, and many special kinds of performing ensembles. Broadening its scope of excellence and maintaining its reputation for quality continue as the principal challenge and primary goal of the Division of Jazz Studies of the College of Music at the University of North Texas.

The 50th Year Anniversary of the Jazz Degree Program

Throughout 1997, the UNT College of Music Division of Jazz Studies celebrated fifty years of jazz and jazz education at North Texas. The first of its kind in the nation, the jazz program at North Texas has been a model for other programs throughout the world. To commemorate this milestone, various events took place that year, including an all-alumni lecture series beginning March 4, 1997. A commemorative CD set of recorded performances spanning the fifty year period of 1947 - 1997 was released.

The year of celebration culminated with reunion concerts on November 14 and 15, 1997. All alumni of the jazz program were invited to attend this special two-day event. The Fall Concert, on Saturday, November 15, was open to the public and featured an all-star alumni band as well as the 1:00 Lab Band.

50th Year Anniversary Events

Here's the program from the reunion:

Friday Nov. 14, 1997 - 8 PM to 12 Midnight

"Kickoff" Party

• Food, Drink and Converstion
• Concert by the Two O'Clock Lab Band
• Photos of alums by years
• Jam session

Silver Eagle Suite - Memorial Union, UNT

Saturday Nov. 15, 1997 - 10:00 AM

Tour of the College of Music

• See Stan Kenton Hall
• Free lab band albums (while they last)

Room 282 in the music building

Saturday Nov. 15, 1997 - 11:30 AM

Golden Anniversary Luncheon

• Remarks by Dr. David Shrader (Dean of the College of Music) and Leon Breeden (Professor Emeritus)
• Conferring of Honorary Doctorate to Herb Ellis
• Music by the UNT Jazz Singers

Silver Eagle Suite - Memorial Union, UNT

Saturday Nov. 15, 1997 - 2 PM to 5 PM

Alumni Concerts

• Recreating the bands from 1947 to 1996 (Bring your instrument)
• Coffee and Conversation

One O'Clock Lounge - Memorial Union, UNT

Saturday Nov. 15, 1997 - 8 PM

1997 Fall Lab Band Concert (open to the public)

• Featuring the One O 'Clock Lab Band and the
• One O 'Clock All Star Alumni Band

UNT Coliseum

Saturday Nov. 15, 1997 - 10:00 PM to 1 AM

Post-Concert Alumni Reception

• Food, Drink and Conversation
• Jam Session

Silver Eagle Suite - Memorial Union, UNT