Honors High School Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble I with special guest John Scofield

The Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program presents the 27^th Annual Honors High School Jazz Band, November 21–22, 2026, featuring guitarist John Scofield. The two-day event consists of big band rehearsals, clinics, and improvisation master classes, and concludes with a performance by the Honors Band, John Scofield, and the UNCG Jazz Ensemble I directed by Steve Haines.

Through his fifty-four-year career, three-time GRAMMY Award®-winner John Scofield has occasionally detoured from the traditions of straight-ahead jazz, exploring a blend of funk and jazz, which has led to some of his most popular projects. In late autumn of 2026, Scofield looks back at many of his now classic fusion groove compositions with Electrospective. Not intending to replicate the earlier fan favorites, he plans instead to revisit them with the seasoned perspective of several decades, culling tunes from his Blue Matter, Uberjam, and AGoGo bands—each responsible for a few recordings—as well as new material in the same vein. 

Scofield looks forward to teaming up with a stellar band of colleagues, Electrospective will rely on interpretative input from Scofield alum and super funk drummer/producer Adam Deitch (Lettuce), multidimensional Larry Goldings (Scary Goldings, James Taylor) on keyboards, and legendary bassist Oteil Burbridge (Dead & Co., Tedeschi Trucks, Allman Brothers). With this repertoire so frequently (and loudly) requested by audience members, Scofield is glad to have a band that will truly do the music justice. 

The Miles Davis Jazz Studies Program at UNCG is a unique and innovative undergraduate jazz program designed to emulate the traditional process of learning jazz, through a combination of mentorship, real-world playing experiences, and a communal approach to learning. Although the program is housed in one of the largest music schools in the Southeast, it is kept intentionally small, resulting in an intensive and highly personalized learning environment.

 UNCG offers the following degree programs for students interested in studying Jazz:

• Bachelor of Music (B.M.) – Performance
• Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Jazz Studies