School of Jazz guest DJ for May: Harrison Oberg

Harrison Oberg is a busy senior at Rogers High School in Puyallup, playing trumpet in the jazz band and French horn in the classical ensemble. He's recently taken up drumming, too.

Recently, Oberg took some time out of his busy schedule to share an hour of his favorite jazz on KNKX as the School of Jazz guest DJ for May. His varied set was all about taking the listener somewhere.

Oberg's playlist begins the journey at home, with beautiful tunes from the big bands of Count Basie, Buddy Rich and a raucous flight with the U.S. Airforce Airmen of Note.

Then, it takes off overseas, featuring two modern international jazz bands, including the Israeli trio Shalosh and a quartet led by the London-based Australian producer and multi-instrumentalist Don Glori.

Oberg has plans to study French horn performance and music education at Central Washington University in Ellensburg this Fall. He also hopes to find time to play with the school's jazz musicians, as CWU has "a killer jazz band," he said.

Pack your bags! From cozy ballads to interstellar flights of improvisation, Oberg's KNKX School of Jazz guest DJ will transport you.

What instrument do you play and why?

I play French horn, trumpet (for jazz), and drums. I play horn because it’s a beautiful instrument, while I play trumpet because it was the easiest switch to play in jazz.

What is your all-time favorite jazz piece?

My favorite is "Samba Ti Kaye." The Mark Taylor version is amazing, and it’s overall a great piece.

Who is your jazz hero?

My Jazz hero would be both my mom and my band director. I don’t have a jazz “great” as my hero, because I wouldn’t know who the greats were without the two people who got me into jazz. My mom and Mr. Pickard.

Why jazz?

I chose jazz because it is community. People ask what jazz is about and that’s my answer. Jazz brings people of all backgrounds to one place, to play music, and that’s what I love about it.