HARWICH—From the moment he first heard Big Swing Face in 1967, Wayne Naus was determined to one day play with legendary drummer Buddy Rich.
Six years later, he did.
The trumpet player toured and recorded with Rich's band, and later taught at Berklee College of Music. Naus has spent the last decade volunteering as jazz band director at Monomoy Regional High School.
"When I started, I had an idea for a new model for a high school jazz band: eliminate auditions," Naus said. "I don't want music to be a competition. The only person you're competing with is yourself."
Naus will demonstrate that philosophy onstage on Thursday night, when he is set to conduct his biggest band yet: 70 musicians.
The school is hosting the All-Cape and Islands Jazz Festival, featuring student musicians from Barnstable, Bourne, Dennis-Yarmouth, Falmouth and Martha’s Vineyard. Naus wrote and arranged the evening's songs.
Naus himself was in high school when he picked up the trumpet. The instrument has served him well, most notably as a musician with the Navy.
"Trumpet basically saved my life and kept me out of Vietnam," he said. "As payback, I vowed that I would practice as long as I could."
The All Cape and Islands Jazz Festival is set for 7 p.m. in the Monomoy Regional High School auditorium. Tickets are $10 at the door.
