Professor Ronald Carter is inviting his former students and friends from across the country to be a part of his final School of Music Jazz Ensemble concert today.

Everyone is invited to the free performance at 8 p.m. in the Duke Ellington Ballroom. Special guest trombonist Vincent Gardner will perform with the ensemble.

“There is a certain energy that we are able to reach through the way we emote through music … largely inspired by our fearless leader, Mr. Ron Carter,” said Michael Backer, senior music education major. “It has been a pleasure to be a part of this incredible music-making experience as a real musical family.”

Carter is looking forward to seeing his former students.

“First of all, former students coming back from all over the country and also the talent of the guest artist is phenomenal,” Carter said. “He’s been with the jazz and Lincoln Center Orchestra for quite a while, and they play all over the world, so getting a chance to hear the best jazz trombonist in the country — and it’s free — and getting an opportunity to hear their own peers perform [at] such a high level is great.”

Students of Carter said they appreciate the way he works with everyone and gives them pieces of music that challenge them.

“Ron’s more than just an incredible music educator; he is a character that is … unsurpassed in the jazz education world,” Backer said. “He’s able to shine new light on charts that are either very traditional to charts that are brand new.”

Kadir Muhammad, Jazz Band member and graduate jazz studies student, said he enjoys the way Carter can take jazz music and reach people who will enjoy the style.

“[My favorite things are] the interaction with guest artists and being able to recreate music that is supposedly ‘dead’ [jazz music] but it never really is,” Muhammad said. “I like re-creating that and then seeing people that aren’t necessarily connected to it relate to it consciously and unconsciously.”

As part of Carter’s send-off there will be a pre-concert jam session at 6 p.m. in the Capitol Room and a post-concert jam session at 10:30 p.m. in the Regency Ballroom. Former students and friends of Carter are welcome to join and mingle.