Jazz Band seeks new vocalist to showcase musical talents

The search for the next big band singer on campus is on. For the first time in four years, the GCSU Jazz Band is holding auditions for a lead vocalist. The auditions will be held Sept. 18 and are open to all students.

Dr. Todd Shiver, director and interim music department chair, said the band is seeking someone who will be ready to stand out and have a commanding presence.

“Some singers are just used to singing with a rhythm section like piano, drums and guitar. This is a different kind of beast,” Shiver said. “We’re looking for someone to really belt out a song and shine. It’s not really for the timid.”

According to Shiver, 20 students have signed up to audition so far and that number is expected to increase. At the auditions, each singer will prepare a piece for the judges. After their audition, two or three finalists will be selected.

Those finalists will be given two pieces and have a week to learn them before they sing with the band. After that, the members of the band will make the final decision on a lead vocalist.

Among those members is saxophonist Kyle Christmas, a senior business major.

“I’m not picky. As long as the person can sing with the band well, it doesn’t matter,” Christmas said.

Shiver said the judges will be looking for the right style among other factors in the auditions.

“We’ll be listening to phrasing and pitch and looking for some personality,” he said. “Some singers are classically trained or ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ trained, and it’s not quite the right style.

So we want someone who can handle the jazz and big band style in the tradition of Frank Sinatra, Diana Krall, Bette Midler and Michael Buble. If they know those names, they’re already ahead of the game.”

Joining Shiver in the initial judging will be Dr. Bob Wilson, professor of history and Jazz Band MC. As MC, he introduces the band at events and prepares notes on different selections that the band plays.

“We’re looking for someone who is going to be comfortable in and familiar with the jazz and swing idiom. It’s a very different singing style. You have to be able to sing and work with the big band,” Wilson said. “In a big jazz band, the singer can really define what you do. And it takes a lot of composure and poise to stand up there in front of a powerful band. There is some improvisation involved, and you’ve got to be able to land the notes.”

Wilson added that winning over the audience and the rest of the band is critical for the vocalist.

“You don’t have to necessarily jump all over the stage. It can be very intimate. But you have to be able to connect with the audience and be responsive to the rest of the band,” Wilson said.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for the next lead vocalist will be replacing Laura Dees, who resided in the spotlight for the band the last four years. Wilson, who has spent more than a decade as MC, compared the singing style of Dees to that of all-time great big band singer Peggy Lee.

“I’ve been the MC for the band the last 14 or 15 years, and we’ve never had someone be the lead vocalist for four years other than Laura. It’s very rare,” he said. “(Dees) was unique. She’s been the mainstay, and she fit the bill of a big band singer really well in the way she sings with her style. We’ve had some really good singers over the years, and Laura was one of the best.”

Shiver added his own praise for the departed starlet.

“Whoever it is that gets the role will have big shoes to fill because Laura did such a good job for us,” he said.

Shiver is entering his 20th year as Jazz Band director, and for the first time he has opened up the auditions to all students across campus in hopes that an unknown star may be lurking.

“We usually advertise in-house, but we’re doing it outside the department for the first time this year. The inspiration behind that is there may be someone out there not involved with the music department that we don’t know about. We’ve had some (students) before that have come in and knocked me off my feet,” Shiver said. “They don’t have to be a music major or minor. We just want a good singer. We’re wide open at this point. It can be male or female.”

Shiver is also quick to point out that the next lead vocalist will be in the spotlight quite a bit with the well-distinguished Jazz Band.

“They’re going to have some big opportunities. If they’re young enough, they’ll be able to be on our next CD we record, and they may be able to go to Europe with us when we go again because we try to go every four years, and that is coming up soon,” Shiver said. “So whoever it winds up being is going to have fun, and they will be in a good position.”

Wilson believes whoever becomes the next lead vocalist will feel gratified.

“There aren’t many things that are more rewarding or exciting than singing in front of a big band,” he said. “The thrill of singing is a powerful experience.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 11 2009. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry