The Taft High School Jazz Ensemble was honored to perform at the 2023 Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) Conference, where they were considered a “command performance.” Their selection for this prestigious opportunity resulted from a rigorous review process involving hundreds of recorded ensembles from across Texas. Only the best jazz ensembles, wind bands, and string orchestras are chosen to perform at the TMEA convention each year. During the ensemble’s exceptional performance, the guest soloist was Freddy Mendoza, a world-renowned jazz trombonist and the first all-state musician at Taft HS, who was also the first drum major of the Taft HS Raider Band.