Ed Love, Music Director

Born in Omaha, where at Central High he first developed and interest in jazz, Ed is a graduate of UNL, having earned a Bachelors Degree in 1970 and a Master of Music Degree in 1972. In 1972, he was selected to the All-Star Band at the American College Jazz Festival in Washington, D.C. Ed taught junior high school band and jazz band in Seward, Nebraska for six years, then was hired by the Lincoln Catholic Schools, where he taught 5th through 8th graders in four elementary schools. Ed retired from teaching instrumental music in the Lincoln Public Schools. Ed joined the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra as leader of the saxophone section in 1978, just prior to the NJO's tour of England and Scotland. In 1979, he was named Music Director. Ed brings a wealth of musical experience to the NJO, having performed with many local and regional bands and orchestras, including the Lincoln and Omaha Symphonies, the Ak-Sar-Ben Orchestra, Opera-Omaha, the Chuck Penington Orchestra, and the Eddy Haddad Orchestra. He has performed with many of the greats in jazz, including Clark Terry, Doc Severinsen, Don Menza, and Henry Mancini. Ed has also given jazz clinics and judged jazz band competitions in Lincoln, Omaha, Bellevue, Waverly, Alma, Ainsworth, Ogallala, and Wayne. He has been a guest soloist with the UNO Jazz Ensemble, Nebraska Wesleyan Jazz Ensemble, Hastings High School Jazz Band, and the Wayne State College Jazz Band.