Department of Music to present ASU Jazz Band in concert with Dr. Marc Dickman

Feb. 13, 2009 -- The Arkansas State University Department of Music will present the first ASU Jazz Band concert of the spring semester. The performance will take place on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Riceland Hall, Fowler Center and will be free of charge and open to the public. The ASU Jazz Bands, under the direction of Dr. Ron Horton, will present a tremendous variety of modern big band repertoire. The evening will also include special guest Dr. Marc Dickman, who will also offer a Low Brass clinic on February 24 at 6 p.m. 

As always, audiences will be pleased by the musical precision and excitement that they have come to expect from all of Arkansas State University's music ensembles.  The band will open up with an extremely high-energy funk tune, "Brecker Brac," written by Tom Kubis. This piece gives the band an opportunity to move the audience to the edge of their seat right from the first notes played. This piece was written in the spirit of the Brecker Brothers collaborations from the late seventies and early eighties. Fans of the group will not be disappointed as the band features tenor saxophonist Michael Newson. The band will also perform "Lush Life," a moving ballad penned by Pittsburgh, Penn., native Billy Strayhorn. "This piece allows the band to showcase its full emotional range," says Horton. "These two charts alone show a wonderful fire-and-ice type of contrast."

Special guest artist euphonium player Dr. Marc Dickman will be the highlight of the evening. Dickman, a Besson artist, has performed with Branford Marsalis, Doc Severinson, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Buddy DeFranco, Al Vizutti, Diane Schuur, Rosemary Clooney, and Louie Bellson's Big Band. He is a very unique guest to the program for a variety of reasons, the first of which is his unique instrument.  Euphonium is definitely a non-traditional instrument in today's jazz scene, but wielded by Dickman, it is used for the highest level of artistic expression. Audiences will be able to see firsthand why Geoffry Hathaway of World Jazz Magazine said the listeners would be reminded "of Chet Baker an octave down." Dickman will be showcased with the ASU big band as well as in a small group setting with Horton and several of ASU's top student performers.

Members of the Jazz Band are Claire Richardson and Allen Adcock of Jonesboro, alto saxophone; Michael Newson of Memphis, Tenn., and Daidreon Clayton of Jonesboro, tenor saxophone; Daniel Medina of Marion, baritone saxophone;  Matt Strawbridge and Kade Holiday of Jonesboro, Jonathon McAlister of Marion, Chris Smith of Paragould, trombones; Antonio Starks of Jonesboro, Joseph Curtis of Trumann, Angela Guajardo and Kyle Stewart of Marion, trumpets;  Mauricio Dixon of Wynne, piano; Kevin Cremeens of Jonesboro, bass; Bryan Elder of Jonesboro, drumset.

For more information, contact Dr. Ron Horton at (870) 972-2094, or e-mail him at rhorton@astate.edu.
 

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