In the mid nineties a teacher, Ted Ireton, visiting NSBHS on exchange from Canada revived the Stage Band. Mr Ireton was a Band teacher in his home country, but was teaching Social Studies at NSBHS, as New South Wales has no such subject as Band in schools. The band was small, but the students enjoyed it and wanted to keep it going after Mr Ireton's year at NSBHS was over.

The music staff and then guitar ensemble director Saul Richardson asked trombonist, composer, and pianist Tim Rowland to take over the Stage Band. The group continued to grow under Mr Rowland's guidance and the students enjoyed another good year. When Mr Rowland moved on at the end of the year Saul Richardson was asked to lead the group.

From twelve musicians in one band in 1995, the jazz program at NSBHS has grown to three full size big bands and up to four jazz combos, involving around seventy students from Years Seven to Twelve.

Groups at the school have been led, at various times by many fine jazz musicians and educators including David Theak, Paul Rasmussen, Andrew Robertson, Anita Thomas, Sean Coffin, Jeremy Borthwick, John Conley, Steve Brien and Dale Gorfinkel.

In April 2000 Big Band 1 undertook its first international tour. Co-led by David Theak and Saul Richardson the band traveled to the UK and Finland. Engagements in the UK included gigs at the Bull's Head jazz club in London, the Fiddle and Bone club in Birmingham, and the University College School in Hampstead. In Finland the band was the first Australian band to play at the Espoo April Jazz festival near Helsinki.

Subsequent international tours have taken Big Band 1 to the USA, the UK, The Bahamas, and Barbados. In the USA the band became the first Australian school group to perform at the annual conference of the International Association for Jazz Education in New York City. In 2007 it became the only Australian group to successfully audition twice for the IAJE conference. The band has toured Florida twice, playing Miami, Orlando, North Fort Myers, Cocoa and Punta Gorda.

Highlights of the 2006 tour included a half time performance at Craven Cottage in London for a Premier League Football match, Fulham v. Sunderland, in front of 25, 000 people, and a series of gigs in Bridgetown Barbados from the beach in front of the Barbados Yacht Club to the Frank Collymore concert hall.

In Australia the various NSBHS jazz bands are popular fixtures at many festivals and community events. Big Bands 1 and 2 both travel to the Merimbula Jazz Festival every Queen's Birthday long weekend. All the bands play each October at the Crows Nest Fair. Combos are kept busy playing for many corporate, social and charity functions throughout the year.

As often as possible, the musicians of the NSB Jazz program work with professional artists. Some of these have included: John Clayton, Bob Mintzer, Wycliffe Gordon, Don Burrows, John Fedchock, Carl Allen, James Morrison, Steve Houghton, Don Rader, Shelly Berg, Lou Fischer, David Theak, Bob Montgomery, Al Herman, Jeff Jarvis, Keith Javors, Chuck Owen, Kevin Hunt, Jack Wilkins, Tim Oram, Tom Brantley, Dave Panichi, Anita Thomas, Steve Brien, Craig Scott, John Kuzmich Jr, Andrew Robertson, John Morrison, Dick Montz, Richard Maegraith, Willow Nielson, Sean Coffin, James Greening, Matt Baker, Mike Kenny, John Conley, Jeremy Borthwick, Ray Cassar, and Steve Williams.

Notable graduates of the program include National Jazz Award winner Jackson Harrison (piano), Dale Gorfinkel (vibraphone), Simon Ferenci (trumpet), Jeremy Rose (alto sax), Jamie Castrisos (drums), Scott Simpkins (tenor sax), Andrew Brooks (alto sax), and Martin Wieczorek (clarinet and alto sax).