Chico State’s Department of Music and Theatre put on the “New Directions in Jazz” concert in Harlen Adams Theatre Oct. 22.

Rocky Winslow, who would have originally directed the concert, is out on medical leave because of a spine surgery he underwent in September. The Jazz X-Press club hopes to make Winslow proud, as he will be sitting in the audience watching his students perform. Stepping in as the conductor is Ryan Heimlich, a Pleasant Valley High School music teacher.

Carin Dorghalli can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.