John Jacobs
Master Sgt., Army Ground Forces Band director, 404.421.8998.
UNK– The Jazz Guardians, the Army Ground Forces Band, will perform at the University of Nebraska at Kearney on Thursday, Nov. 4.
The Jazz Guardians will perform at 7:30 p.m., under the direction of Master Sgt. John Jacobs, who is a UNK alumnus from Aurora. The performance will take place in the Fine Arts Recital Hall, located in the UNK Fine Arts Building.
“It will be a pleasure to return to my home and perform in my home state of Nebraska,” Master Sgt. Jacobs said.
The Jazz Guardians’ performance will be presented in two sets. The first set will be comprised of Big Band music featuring the sounds of Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra and Natalie Cole, while the second set will be a patriotic presentation. Video and slides take the audience from the marches that were popular when the railroad first cut across the plains through the music of the roaring 20s, the Big Band era, the 50s and Vietnam.
“It’s a walk through time with the songs and images that tie us all together as Americans,” Master Sgt. Jacobs said. “We will conclude with a salute to veterans and a patriotic tribute to all Americans.”
The Jazz Guardians will also be conducting band clinics and sitting in with band classes throughout the day at UNK.
Master Sgt. Jacobs, who graduated from UNK in 1986, is originally from Aurora. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in music specialization online from UNK. The Army Ground Forces Band and Master Sgt. Jacobs are currently stationed in Ft. McPherson, Ga.
The Army Ground Forces Band was organized in 1845 in New Orleans, La. The band serves as the Musical Ambassador of the American Combat Soldier, an outreach asset for the United States Army Forces Command. They perform numerous concerts throughout the country each year in support of local, regional and national events.
