The Guide

Every December, the UNLV jazz program puts together a three-night festival that shows off their various ensembles — usually two or three a night. A great opportunity to see some new talent, considering UNLV has been churning out quality musicians for the last 15 years or so, and this jazz program has been heavily decorated with awards and acclaim in that time period.

And, lest you interpret the event’s name as proof that it’s just instrumental, it’s not. On Monday night, the Maryland Parkway & Harmon Avenue Vocal Ensembles perform, and on Tuesday, you can see the Studio Scarlett Jazz Vocal Ensemble. There’s also Latin jazz, contemporary jazz, jazz guitar, and big band performances.

Runs from Dec. 2-4

Every December, the UNLV jazz program puts together a three-night festival that shows off their various ensembles — usually two or three a night. A great opportunity to see some new talent, considering UNLV has been churning out quality musicians for the last 15 years or so, and this jazz program has been heavily decorated with awards and acclaim in that time period.

And, lest you interpret the event’s name as proof that it’s just instrumental, it’s not. On Monday night, the Maryland Parkway & Harmon Avenue Vocal Ensembles perform, and on Tuesday, you can see the Studio Scarlett Jazz Vocal Ensemble. There’s also Latin jazz, contemporary jazz, jazz guitar, and big band performances.

Runs from Dec. 2-4

Every December, the UNLV jazz program puts together a three-night festival that shows off their various ensembles — usually two or three a night. A great opportunity to see some new talent, considering UNLV has been churning out quality musicians for the last 15 years or so, and this jazz program has been heavily decorated with awards and acclaim in that time period.

And, lest you interpret the event’s name as proof that it’s just instrumental, it’s not. On Monday night, the Maryland Parkway & Harmon Avenue Vocal Ensembles perform, and on Tuesday, you can see the Studio Scarlett Jazz Vocal Ensemble. There’s also Latin jazz, contemporary jazz, jazz guitar, and big band performances.

Runs from Dec. 2-4

What makes a “very Vegas Christmas” besides family members stuck working on the Strip Christmas Eve and lit-up palm trees that would make Freud blush? Using locally revered performers to ring in the season. The Las Vegas Philharmonic leans into our musical community for its annual Christmas program, from Strip ventriloquists (Terry Fator) to jazz favorites (Michelle Johnson) to opera stars (UNLV grad Cecilia Violetta Lopez) to Grammy-winning crooners (Clint Holmes, pulling double duty at The Smith Center that weekend with his headlining show next door at Myron’s). There’s a reason Mannheim Steamroller isn’t playing Las Vegas this year — to quote Kendrick Lamar, they not like us.

“I’m banging on my drum,” sang the late, great Lou Reed, who once appeared on an album alongside Kodo (1990’s One World One Voice). Methinks Lou — who really did play the drums — would recommend a performance by the 30-odd-member Japanese troupe, a literal world-music act, considering it has played gigs all over the globe since 1981. The celebrated percussionists honor traditional Japanese music through their use of the taiko drum — along with some Japanese string and woodwind instruments — while also updating that centuries-old sound through new techniques and influences. This is no glorified drum circle — it’s an escape to Japan, minus that 12-hour flight.

I know what you’re thinking: Oh geez, another sin-themed diversion in Sin City, which is a total misnomer in this Corporate Vegas era, no thanks to the Nevada Gaming Control Board that … Okay, maybe it’s what I’m thinking. To be fair, Vegas City Opera likely won’t be taking the usual hackneyed approach to sin, excess, etcetera, during this 90-minute multidisciplinary program that will likely expand how one experiences opera. Among the highlights: the stage debut of composer David Del Tredici’s Dracula in total, starring soprano and VCO founder and executive director Ginger Land-van Buuren.

Shows on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.