It’s not every day you get to perform with a full-fledged rock star. But Schreiber High School Jazz Band musicians and those from the Tri-Music Honor Society spent Friday afternoon jamming with a legend on March 18. That’s when Jeff Coffin, the saxophonist with Dave Matthews Band, came to Port.

Coffin and his band, The Mu’tet, were there to teach a master class. They led the high school musicians, highlighting the importance of articulation, clarity, tone and what every jazz player should display – attitude.

Judging by Coffin’s reaction, the students seemed to be quick studies.

“You guys just gave me goose bumps,” he told the students at one point during the class.

When he’s not touring with Dave Matthews Band, Coffin, a three-time Grammy-winning musician and composter, is on stage with Bela Fleck and The Flecktones. Or he’s performing with The Mu’tet. Or he’s composing. Or he’s seeking inspiration from sources like art or nature for his music.

He took time to field questions from the audience, and perform a few songs with The Mu’tet before heading to a gig at Drom, a club on Avenue A in Manhattan.

For Jonathan Janis, a senior at Schreiber who will attend New York University next fall to pursue a degree in music business, the afternoon was a dream come true.

“I’m really into Dave Matthews Band, and Jeff’s a great musician,” Janis said. “I found out he did clinics.”

Janis, who plays trombone at Schreiber, found out that a clinic would cost $2,000. Undeterred, Janis applied for and scored a grant from the Port Washington Education Foundation to help defray the costs. Other funding sources included the school’s Student Government, and ticket sales to the event.

“It was an unbelievable day,” said John Meyer, Schreiber’s jazz bandleader. “It was a great opportunity for the kids.” And while the fundamentals were the same as what he teaches on any given day, “it’s good to hear it from somebody else,” he said.

“It was really great learning from an expert and getting to know him on a one to one basis,” said saxophonist Bobby Katz.

“We had a blast,” Coffin said. “I hope to be able to come back. There was a lot of inspiration for us.”

Next time around a parent said, maybe the band could line up a gig at The Landmark, and enjoy a little bit more of Port Washington.