They may have finished with their trademark arrangement of Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing!” but wow, can Jazz Ensemble I play, play, play! The standing ovation from a near-capacity house at Seattle’s famed Jazz Alley was immediate and boisterous as clarinetist Jack Walters finished his cadenza somewhere in the exosphere.

The gig was a fitting end to an exemplary performance season for the two jazz ensembles under the impeccable direction and leadership of Darin Faul. Jazz Ensemble II performed with passion and a strong sense of ensemble on selections that Faul tailored to the group’s growth and depth. Yes, there were two rhythm guitars on each song, for example. While II’s soloists may not be as nimble or polished, the group is young and they know how to swing.

Jazz Ensemble I was spectacular, and true to form, they weren’t satisfied calling on tried and true charts from their expansive repertoire. Their two-set performance included no fewer than two charts that they were playing for the first time and they weren’t push-over, sight-readable tunes, either. One of them – Gordon Goodwin’s “Hunting Wabbits” – requires baroque precision combined with the ability to swing and meticulous intonation. In other words, it has the difficulty of an Olympic gold medal high dive with the potential for an instrumental train wreck. Was Jazz I’s version perfect? No, leave that to Goodwin’s group and multiple takes in a sterile recording studio. Jazz I’s version was musical, comedic and a joy. But, the group seemed to be relieved to be off the musical high wire as the final note and cymbal ding rang out.