Department of Music presents concert featuring Jazz Band, Lab Band, Nov. 17

Nov. 11, 2008 -- The Department of Music at Arkansas State University announces the second performance of the 2008 season by ASU’s Jazz Band and Lab Band. The performance is Monday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m., in Riceland Hall, Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive, Jonesboro. The performance is free and open to the public. The Jazz and Lab Bands will perform music to astound and challenge the audience.

The evening will open with the ASU Lab Band playing Duke Ellington’s classic “Satin Doll.” The Lab Band will also perform a blues number, “Cutting Edge,” and the Latin jazz piece, “Alianza.”  “Cutting Edge” is an impressive up-tempo blues that will show off the hard work put in by the ensemble, as well as some of the ensemble’s soloists. Those who have followed the Lab Band will recognize long-time band members Angela Guajardo and Corey Spencer, and make the acquaintance of newcomer Demarius Phelix in this number. “Alianza” is a wonderful Latin piece penned by Eric Morales that will feature Zac Adams and Treavor Mitchell. The first half of the evening will also feature one of ASU’s newer ensembles, the ASU Jazztette. This ensemble allows for artistic options that rarely lend themselves for display in the larger ensembles. The band will feature some of ASU’s finest jazz soloists, allowing them a more wide-open musical context. The Jazztette will also feature an original piece by ASU trumpeter Joseph Curtis.

The second half of the concert will feature the ASU Jazz band. The band will open with Thad Jones’ arrangement of “All of Me.” Those listeners who are familiar with the Billy Byers version, made famous by the Count Basie Band, will be in for a particularly special treat. Jones is one of the special writers who could take a standard from the great American songbook and create such an indelible and unique musical masterpiece. The band will also be playing Bill Stapleton’s arrangement of John Coltrane’s “Lazy Bird.” The soloists featured on this piece are Mike Newson and Joseph Curtis, the changes in this Coltrane classic are no joke. These are very difficult solos for players of any skill level to execute. The individual time and effort that Newson and Curtis put into this rendition of “Lazy Bird” is a reflection of the behind-the-scenes effort that all of the members of this ensemble put into each performance. The band will also feature Janet Rooney on a brooding arrangement of Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight.”

In addition to these songs and more, the band will pay tribute to the life of jazz legend Neal Hefti. Audiences will know Hefti’s work because of his musical contribution to two 1960s television series, “Batman” and “The Odd Couple.” Hefti worked with musical greats including Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, as well as composing for the silver screen. The Jazz Band will perform arrangements of Hefti’s “Girl Talk” and “Cute.”

Members of the ASU Jazz Band are: alto saxophones, Claire Richardson and Allen Adcock of Jonesboro; tenor saxophones, Mike Newson of Memphis, Tenn., Daidreon Clayton and Daniel Rickman of Jonesboro; baritone saxophone, Daniel Medina of Marion; trumpets, Antonio Starks of Jonesboro, Joseph Curtis of Trumann, Kelsey Lambert of Paragould, and Lana Spain of Wynne; trombones, Matthew Strawbridge and Kade Holliday of Jonesboro, Jonathan McAlister of Marion, and Jon Reeves of Paragould; piano and vibraphone, Janet Rooney of Lake City; piano, Mauricio Dixon of Wynne; drumset, Curtis Farley of Jonesboro and Jamel Alford of East St. Louis, Ill.; bass, Kevin Cremeens of Jonesboro.

Members of the ASU Lab Band are: alto saxophones, Ashley Flory of Highland and DeMarius Phelix of Marion; tenor saxophones, Shirley Smith of West Memphis and Chance George of Searcy; baritone saxophone, Brittany Reese of Conway; trumpets. Angela Guajardo of Marion, Zac Adams of Piggott ,and Kayla Hunter and Eric Escue of Jonesboro; trombones, Treavor Mitchell of Jonesboro, Corey Spencer of Wynne, and Kyle Manly and Zach Elledge of Pocahontas; euphonium, Derek Escue of Jonesboro; vibraphone, Alysa Fenner of Jonesboro; guitar, Mitch Mitchusson of Jonesboro; basses, Kenny Smith and Tonia Spurlock of Piggott; drumset, Bryan Elder of Jonesboro.

For more details, please call the Department of Music at (870) 972-2094.
           

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