HOUGHTON -- It is the celebration of 45 years of jazz at Michigan Tech where students and alumni join together for a night dedicated to music.

“It’s a very important milestone for us in that in the late '60s, well 1967, when the program started here; there were very few programs in the Midwest,” said Director Mike Irish.  

Back then, the program had just one single band. Today there are two large bands, including a small jazz combo and students can also minor in jazz studies.

For the past 21 years, Mike Irish has directed the ensemble, and he says it is not just his love for music that keeps him going.

“I’ve got the best job in the world, and one of the things that makes it very easy to do is just the quality of the students at Michigan Tech,” Irish said.   

Jazz music dates back to the late 1800s, and this type of musical style uses a broad range of instruments from wind-based, like saxophones and trumpets, to the more rhythmic drums and guitar.

One thing that makes this band so unique is the fact that it is made up of technological students who still find time to combine science with art.

Throughout the concert, guest artists will also perform. Gus Sandburg is a professional musician who played with Prince and John Mayer. Sandburg says he is happy to be back home to perform the music he loves.

“I think for me it’s the art of creating something in the moment. A good way to look at jazz…you could say it’s composing on the spot and so it’s always different,” said musician Gus Sandburg.

Prior to the show the lobby will include a collection photos and facts about the program.

The concert starts Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. in the Rozsa Center. Tickets are $10.