As the jazz program at the University continues to improve, its audience appears to grow larger with every performance.

Centre Dimension's show in front of a large audience on Wednesday night in the Recital Hall of the Music Building added evidence to this trend. The ensemble, making its first appearance after winning the Glassboro Jazz Festival in Glassboro, New Jersey, provided the audience with an energetic variety of jazz music.

The ensemble opened the show with Woody Herman's Cousins, which immediately demonstrated the band's depth as a unit. The modest size of the Recital Hall provided the band with a room that let the audience feel the power of their sound.

Other highlights of the performance included the Maynard Ferguson version of Paul Simon's Bridge Over Troubled Water, graduate student Jeff Kunkle's arrangement of I Remember You, Gordon Goodwin's Hot Monkey Love, director Dan Yoder's Take the Nickel and Run, Herman's Hallelujah Time, Bob Brookmeyers Ding Dong Ding, Duke Ellington's In a Mellowtone and 2 pieces by Oliver Nelson, Blues and the Abstract Truth and Black, Brown and Beautiful. The group encored with Charlie Parker's bebop tune Confontation.

Bridge Over Troubled Water featured soloist Duane Shimmel, trumpet, blaring out the piercing brass notes which are standardly associated with Maynard Ferguson's music. Kunkel's arrangement of I Remember You showcased all sections of the ensemble by highlighting the trombones' melody, the saxes' harmony and the trumpets' powerful accents.

The funky tune Hot Monkey Love featured a solo by Anthony Zugel, alto sax. Zugel, who also played solos in Black Brown and Beautiful, Take the Nickel and Run and Ding Dong Ding displayed his expressiveness on the instrument. In his solo from Black Brown and Beautiful he wonderfully managed to gracefully accentuate every note of the piece.

Blues and the Abstract Truth proved to be one of the more rhythmically complex numbers of the evening. The composition, which featured solos by Terry Rowlyk, tenor sax and Robin Beauchamp, trumpet presented the audience with a beat that alternated between waltz-like jazz and fast swing tempos.

Yoder's Take the Nickel and Run featured a latin rhythm and another competent solo by Zugel. Herman's Hallelujah Time showcased tenor saxophonists Terry Rowlyk and Tom Long in a question-and-answer duet. Both players did a remarkable job of keeping in sync with each other over the fast swing tempo.

Jeff Kunkel's clocklike piano line began the unconventional sounding Ding Dong Ding. In the tune, the instruments in the ensemble clashed with the piano and segued into the body of the piece. The composition then slowed down into Kunkle's intensely emotional piano solo.

Centre Dimensions ended the concert with pieces by two classic jazz performers. Ellington's In a Mellow Tone displayed swing at its best with solos by Long and Beauchamp. Parker's Confrontation featured a complex melody over classic bebop rhythm.

The popularity of jazz in the community, as evidenced by last night's concert, continues to grow. As the program improves it will hopefully bring out an even larger jazz audience. Centre Dimensions concert represents a great achievement in building a top flight jazz program at the University.