San Marcos — For Paul White, the album that did it was John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps.”

White was an undergraduate student at Appalachian State University when a roommate put the record on. It was the first song that really attracted White to the music he now makes a living performing.

From then on, White got serious about one thing: playing jazz.

The former Texas State faculty member and now saxophonist for the US Army Jazz Ambassadors will return to the Lone Star State when the Ambassadors perform at Aquarena Center in San Marcos at 7 p.m. Thursday. It’s been almost a year since he’s been back to Texas.

“I’m really excited about it. I was in San Marcos and Austin for 13 years, so I have a lot of friends out there and a lot of former students who I’m really looking forward to seeing,” White said.

White chose to join the Army Ambassadors because of their reputation as a top-notch jazz act. As traditional touring big band acts, once the norm in the mid 1900s, have died away, musicians like White have chosen the military.

“In the professional music world the opportunity to play in an ensemble of this caliber is few and far between,” White said. “The military bands offer a constant pay check, health care and financial benefits, And that has attracted higher caliber musicians over time as the professional jobs have gone down.”

White was born in Miami, Fla. and at an early age his parents moved to North Carolina. He started band in the fifth grade, choosing the tenor saxophone mainly because “I was the only kid with big enough hands to reach around the keys.” He continued playing saxophone through high school.

“For the most part it came pretty easy for me,” White said. “I went to college and got scholarships and dabbled in composition, studying jazz sax and classical sax.”

After graduating from Appalachian State, White went to graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin. He finished his doctorate work there in 2003, and then worked as a musician in the Central Texas area.

Friend and Texas State faculty member Keith Winking eventually found the position at Texas State for White. He taught at the university for one year before joining the Army.

“As a new Army member, of course I had to go through basic training,” White said. “Eleven weeks of basic training away from my family was a little difficult. But the transition into the band has been great.”

The US Army Jazz Ambassadors plan on playing a set that mixes older big band music, Dixieland, standards and patriotic tunes. The 19-member ensemble was formed in 1969 and has performed in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India and throughout Europe.

This will actually be the second San Marcos gig for the Ambassadors. The group played at Aquarena Center more than 10 years ago.

“I remember many players mentioning that it was one of the most beautiful sites they’ve ever played,” Winking, Texas State jazz faculty member, said.

Some band members will host clinics the day of the show at San Marcos High School and Texas State University.

The current lineup also includes Paul Armstrong, former Texas State University Sound Recording Technology student and current trumpeter with the Ambassadors.

Rain site will be Evans Auditorium. The San Marcos Daily Record, co-sponsor for the event, still has free tickets available at the office, 1910 IH-35 South, 392-2458.

Tickets may also be picked up at the Texas State University School of Music building. For information call 245-2651.

Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chair or blankets.