Both the Jazz Lab Band and the Outer Dimensions Jazz Orchestra represent opportunities for students who wish to participate in the growing jazz program at the University. The ensembles, which will perform at 8 p.m., Friday in the Recital Hall of the Music Building, represent the second and third level of musicians behind the first level jazz band, Centre Dimensions.

"As the program gets better, each of the groups gets closer to the next," said Robin Beauchamp, director of the Jazz Lab Band and a graduate student at the University. "The program is getting so strong that the difference between the three bands is shrinking."

The Jazz Lab Band is primarily interested in unpublished arrangements, Beauchamp said. He said Friday's performance will act as a rehearsal for a Pennsylvania area tour with Centre Dimensions scheduled for next week.

"Our main purpose (of the tour) of course is recruitment. The reason we're bringing two bands is to show the depth of the program," Beauchamp said.

Musical selections from the Jazz Lab Band for the performance will include Blue Bossa, by Kenny Dorham; Icarus by Ralph Towner; My Shining Hour, by Harold Arlen; Count Me In, by Billy Byers; Stolen Moments, by Oliver Nelson and Manstae, by Jeff Holmes.

Beauchamp described Blue Bossa as a standard jazz tune. The Lab Band will perform the tune with a different tempo than the bossa tempo it was originally written for, Beauchamp said.

"We're doing a samba treatment of the standard which basically means ...a much quicker tempo ," Beauchamp said.

Towner's Icarus and Arlen's My Shining Hour feature arrangements by assistant professor of music Dan Yoder. My Shining Hour will showcase the trombone work of Mark Fisher, Beauchamp said.

"The piece is written to support (the trombonist) as a soloist," he said.

Eastman School of Music Graduate Holmes's Manstae was described by Beauchamp as unconventional.

"(Manstae) is a fast fusion, very rock oriented tune. It's generally what you would consider a jazz lab piece.

"The unique aspect about Manstae is the instrumentation. In addition to the standard big band, this piece requires four french horns, two flutes, tuba and three percussionists. It's a big piece, but it's a very fast, rock fusion type chart," Beauchamp said.

The Outer Dimension Jazz Orchestra, directed by Jeff Kunkle, a graduate student at the University, allows its members to gain experience by playing basic jazz literature, Kunkel said.

Outer Dimensions will perform Seems Like Old Times, by Frank Mantooth; Long Yellow Road, by Toshiko Akiyoshi; Sweet Punkin', by Mike Pendowski; On Green Dolphin Street, arranged by Les Hooper; New Blues, as played by Buddy Rich and Tribute, by Bob Mintzer.

Seems Like Old Times contains swing elements and features many ensemble sections, Sweet Punkin' is designed to show off the total ensemble, Kunkle said. On Green Dolphin Street features the humorous arrangement of Chicago arranger Les Hooper while New Blues presents a tune that is laid back and unlike the long-term jamming that listeners expect from the drummer Rich, he said.

Long Yellow Road works as a vehicle for the soloists and the ensemble, Kunkel said. The piece is highlighted by a long swing section surrounded by classical sounding sections, he said.

In (this concert's) case Bill Scott on trombone and Marc Koble on trumpet," Kunkel said.

Kunkel described the last piece, Mintzer's Tribute as a basic swing tune.

"Mintzer wrote it as a tribute to Count Basie. Mintzer is not usually a writer of strictly swing charts," Kunkel said.

The musical selections for the show were planned around a relatively educated audience that expects a degree of sophistication, Kunkel said.

"We're covering a wide variety of styles which is important. I think you have to. The younger audience at Penn State would appreciate both programs," Beauchamp said.