Last year saw the first pairing of the Crescent Super Band and the Yellowjackets' saxophonist Bob Mintzer.

That event was at the Midwest Clinic, the nation's largest music education conference, in Chicago.

"I met Bob a few years back," said Caleb Chapman, the Crescent Super Band's director. "The Super Band was invited to headline, and so we invited Bob to be our guest artist.

"It was a blast," Chapman said. "He's definitely the most demanding, as far as what he expects from the band. Not only was this an incredible experience musically, but educationally, for both me and the students. And he's just a great guy, a lot of fun to hang around with."

Utah's award-winning Crescent Super Band, comprised of the state's best high-school-student musicians, will get another chance to perform with Mintzer on Nov. 16 at the Sheraton City Center. "We are excited for this opportunity to play with him again," Chapman said.

One of the reasons Mintzer is so demanding, said Chapman, is that not only is he a well-accomplished soloist, but also one of the top five big-band leaders of the decade.

"That's where the ability to be demanding and to know what he wants comes from," said Chapman, who teaches music at the Art Institute at Thanksgiving Point.

"As part of that, we definitely prepared the set, because his compositions are not for the faint of heart. They're challenging, even for pros."

Chapman said the concert will feature mostly Mintzer compositions.

"We've been working on the compositions for the past few months to make sure we have a great show," Chapman said.

The Crescent Super Band is more than qualified to play with Mintzer. Since its inception in 2001 at the former Music School in Lehi, the 21-piece big-band orchestra comprised of musicians between the ages of 14 and 19 has performed all over the world, including the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy and the Telluride Jazz Festival in Colorado.

The band has also garnered awards, such as the high-school division of the International Association for Jazz Education's Outstanding Service Award and Downbeat Magazine's awards for Outstanding Performing Arts Academy Big Band and Best Female Vocalist."(Saxophonist) Jeff Coffin from the Dave Matthews Band told (the students) that not only do they play at the same level as the pros, but the energy is at a much higher level," Chapman said. "So when somebody like a member of the Dave Matthews Band recognizes them, it's very motivational."

Chapman said each year is a new experience. And the pressure for the new students in the band to maintain the quality set before them is high.