There’s always a surprise with the Jazz Band

The Georgia College & State University Jazz Band will present a program that covers a wide spectrum of jazz styles through history at its fall concert at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Nov. 29-30, in Russell Auditorium. The jazz band’s latest CD, “As Long As We’re Swinging” will also make its debut at the concert.

The concert was inspired by the Ken Burns jazz documentary on public television, said Dr. Todd Shiver, director of the jazz band. The program will follow the evolution of jazz, from its roots in ragtime, blues and Dixieland through the big band swing era, to be-bop and modern jazz.

Highlights will be tributes to Benny Goodman, Count Basie and Glenn Miller with the variety and style of music in the concert ranging from the smooth sounds of Gershwin’s “Embraceable You” to Brubeck’s “Take Five,” with classic big band favorites, “Moonlight Serenade” and “The St. Louis Blues March.”

In addition, the band will play a couple of show tunes – “Get Me to the Church on Time” from “My Fair Lady” and “Old Man River” from “Showboat” – “like you’ve never heard them played before,” said Dr. Robert Wilson, professor of history and master of ceremonies.

“Then there are the killer arrangements of tunes like Count Basie’s ‘Lester Leaps In’ and Dizzy Gillespie’s trademark ‘Salt Peanuts’ where the band just swings like crazy,” Wilson said.

Wilson, university historian, avid jazz fan and jazz researcher, has served as master of ceremonies for a dozen Jazz Band shows, sharing a bit of jazz history and tantalizing tidbits with the audiences.

The concert will feature several special guests: Vocalist Wendy Mullen and Saxophonist Ross Feller, both on the music faculty at GC&SU, and Saxophonist Jim Willoughby, professor emeritus and former chair of the GC&SU Department of Music and Theatre. The band’s new vocalist, Mary Jane Williams, will also make her debut at the concert.

“It could almost be called the GC&SU Jazz Band and Friends,” said Shiver.

The CD, the GC&SU Jazz Band’s second, is a tribute to swing music. Selections, recorded live at fall 2000 and spring 2001 concerts in Russell Auditorium, include the classic “Take the A Train,”Glenn Miller’s “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” Woody Herman’s “Woodchopper’s Ball,” Duke Ellington’s “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” the Ellington/Gershwin standard, “I Can’t Get Started,” Harry James’ “Two O’Clock Jump,” and Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing,” along with favorites like “Stormy Weather,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” and the title song “As Long As I’m Singing.”

Add to that mix “Loop 360,” not a classic swing tune, but a swinging number nonetheless, and “That’s What I Thought,” featuring guest artist and clinician, Ron Carter on saxophone. The CD is $15.

General admission is $4; GC&SU students with valid IDs, $2. For more information, contact the GC&SU Department of Music and Theatre, (478) 445-4226.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 30 2001. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry