Josh Marcus was influenced with jazz music by both his father and his high school band director.

In middle school, Marcus’ dad wanted him to play the saxophone.

“I always had playing jazz in the back of my mind,” the senior jazz studies major said.

Marcus played the alto saxophone in the EIU Jazz Quintet during the EIU Jazz Combos concert Tuesday night at McAfee North Auditorium.

This was the group’s third formal on-campus performance; however, it has performed numerous off-campus performances, also.

During high school, Marcus had a very influential band director.

“He opened my eyes,” Marcus said. “I would hear him in his office playing jazz music.”

This band director had recordings of jazz music that Marcus said helped develop his taste in music.

The Easter Jazz Quintet was one of three groups that performed during the concert.

Tenor Madness comprised Mike Block, Kyle Muskopf, Chris Hastings, Rob Wallace and Anthony Graffeo.

Graffeo, sophomore music education major, said that Tenor Madness was named such because of the instruments in it.

“Tenor Madness is called that because we have two tenor sax players,” he said.

The jazz sextet included Tony Wong, Scott Clements, Olivier David, Steve Kaiser, Jesse Farrar and Ben Hall.

Hall liked that being involved with the jazz combos allowed him to explore more music.

“We get to expand our knowledge of jazz music with different types of music,” he said.

Hall liked the spirited “Question and Answer” piece by Pat Metheny. He described the song as “funky.”

The jazz quintet included Josh Marucs, Garrett Schmidt, Joe Burress, Justin DeAngelo and Bryce Peake.

Paul Johnston, director of the jazz combos, said he liked seeing what the hard work turns into.

“I like seeing it take shape, seeing the final product – (the concert),” Johnston said.