Alma College Jazz Ensemble Performs Fall Concert
Jazz music is one of the few American innovations, says Jeffrey Kressler, faculty director of the Alma College Jazz Ensemble.
“It’s exciting to listen to, and people enjoy the spontaneity of it,” says Kressler.
The Alma College Jazz Ensemble performs its annual fall concert
featuring the many sounds and styles of big band jazz at 3 p.m. Sunday,
Dec. 3 in the Remick Heritage Center at Alma College. The event
is free and open to the public.
“We rarely hear big band jazz on the radio or TV, so this is a great chance to hear it in person,” says Kressler.
The ensemble’s program introduces a diverse collection of songs with
jazz influences, including swing, Latin, rock and holiday music.
The first half of the concert opens with “Don’t Get Excited” by Rich
Woolworth, followed by Dave Wolpe’s arrangement of Buddy Johnson’s
sultry ballad “Since I Fell For You.” “Songorama,” a Latin work
by Cuban composer Victor Lopez, adds energy to the program before it
switches to the jazzy shuffle of Van Morrison’s popular “Moondance”
from his 1970 rock album with the same title.
Next is the tuneful chart “Fatback and Greens” by Jeff Jarvis and
“Gentle Rain,” an arrangement by Lisa DeSpain of Luiz Bonfa’s song from
the movie “The Gentle Rain.” Concluding the first half of the
concert is Andrew Homzy’s arrangement of the bluesy “Boogie Stop
Shuffle” by Charles Mingus.
The second half of the program begins with an arrangement of the
classic Sonny Rollins tune “Tenor Madness” and continues with the
familiar and loved Charlie Brown holiday song “Christmas Time Is Here”
in an arrangement by Roger Holmes. A standard in the jazz canon, Bryan
Kidd’s arrangement of the soulful “Sister Sadie” is next, followed by
the ballad “Lisette” by Sammy Nestico, featuring the lush harmonies of
the tenor sax. Wrapping up the concert is “Winter Wonderland” in a
swinging arrangement by Dave Wolpe appropriate for the Christmas
season.
The Jazz Ensemble comprises Alma College students who are “great to
work with,” says Kressler. The group presents two shows each school
year and sponsors a jazz festival in the spring for high school jazz
bands from across the state.
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Posted: Wed, November 29th, 2006 at 9:47AM
