Jazz, especially live jazz, is always a surprise. Musicians who play music’s most rebellious genre pride themselves on being able to turn a song on its head, and Oxford High School’s jazz program teaches students that skill.

Six OHS students from the jazz band, who make up the Jazz Combo, will be putting on a show for the community on Dec. 15 at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion.

The combo is made up of Jane Tucker on the saxophone, Tyler Dulinski on the trombone, Gio Paese on the trumpet, Selina Langfeldt on the piano, Blaine Measel on the bass and Joshua Overton on the drums. Together, they’ll be playing a mix of Christmas music like “Let It Snow” and “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” as well as classic jazz tunes like”Cornbread” and “Impressions.”

“It’s (going to be) a raw experience,” Dulinski, a senior who plans to pursue music education, said. “You know, when you’re listening to a recording, you expect perfection. But when you’re listening to it live, you have no idea what’s going to happen.”

The Jazz Combo is taught by OHS teacher and musician John Hill. Hill said he’s noticed a growth in the talent of his kids over the last few years and thought it was time they got to show their skills to their community.

While the students demonstrate their musical skills, they will also be joined at the event by a few Oxford High alumni and local professional musicians.

“Every year we’ve been saying, ‘Oh my gosh, this is a really strong group of students,’” Hill said. “The marching band has been winning all of these awards, the jazz band has been playing with guest artists and playing all of these big festivals. Every year, it seems to be getting better. This is a great group of students, they’re very talented.”

The students are excited for the show and think the community will enjoy it. Both Hill and the students think live music lends a different experience than listening to music off a streaming service or CD and hope those who come out appreciate the full experience of live jazz.

“Especially since it’s high school students and we’re part of the younger crowd, it’s cool to see how we put our talents together and how good it sounds,” Tucker said.

Tickets for the holiday and jazz performance are $5 and the start time is 1 p.m. The show will be held at 20 Front Street, a venue Hill hopes will help with the show’s intimate feel.

“It’s a fun set that we have . . . I’m looking forward to just playing music with a small group of people who are really talented,” Dulinski said.