The Jim Graves Jazz Quintet will perform live at Cantrell Music Hall on Feb. 19, 2026, at 7 p.m., hosted by the Southern Nazarene University Music Department. The performance will feature Graves along with several faculty members and professional musicians from the area.
Graves, a longtime SNU faculty member and band leader, described the upcoming concert as an opportunity to explore a wide range of jazz styles. “Every gig has a different slant,” he said. “I like the ideas and creative process. I enjoy putting something together that’s fun and new and creative. At the same time, it’s work to do stuff at a high level, but some of that just goes into our approach with life. We do everything for the glory of God. We strive to do our best in everything we do because why would we do anything less than that?”
The concert will differ from most SNU performances, which are primarily student-centered. “The majority of the events we do are all student centric,” Graves said. “This one is a little bit different because it will be me, a couple of faculty members, and a couple of professional musicians. Events like this provide a chance to dive into the creative realm and showcase the skills I’ve worked hard to develop over the years.”
Preparation for the concert reflects the improvisatory nature of jazz. Graves said the show will feature a mix of swing, Latin grooves, funk, sacred music, and jazz standards, describing it as an “eclectic” jazz concert. “There will be fast songs, slow songs, happy songs, and sad songs,” he said. “It’s a full cornucopia approach, as opposed to centering all songs around one theme.”
The quintet includes Rei Bowen on bass, her husband Dave on drums, Zach Sutton on piano, and Professor Cody Sirk on saxophone. Graves described the musicians as talented and easy to work with. “Rei is one of the best bass players in this area. Dave and Rei together are phenomenal,” he said. “Zach has played with university singers for years and has experience in multiple genres. Cody is a really good player, and I like his sound. I’m looking forward to working with him.”
The group will rehearse once before the performance, following a common jazz practice. “We’ll get together the day before and practice for about an hour, and then the next night we’ll put it together,” Graves said. “That is what is so fun about doing jazz; it’s really improvisatory. The sheet music is just a framework. No matter how much I plan, it will still be interpreted by each player.”
Graves also shared his approach to selecting repertoire. “I wanted it to be a lot of different stuff. A couple of originals, some I’ve never performed before, a mix of swing, Latin, funk, gospel, and jazz standards. We use influences from other artists all the time to craft our own work. The arrangement might be based on someone else’s, but it will sound totally different when we play it.”
If he could assemble a dream jazz combo, Graves said he would include living pianist Cyrus Chestnut, saxophonist Joshua Redman, bassist Ray Brown, guitarist John Scofield, and drummer Stockton Helbing. “I never choose a group based solely on talent. It’s got to be people you enjoy working with. The good news for this one is I really like all of them,” he said.
The Jim Graves Jazz Quintet promises an evening of creativity, energy, and improvisation for both jazz enthusiasts and casual listeners alike.
Photo provided by: Herca Bowen
