Jazz band I gives tour homecoming concert
Date 2/10/2000 12:00 AM | Topic: Arts & Culture While most of us headed home for J-term break and got to see the snowy countryside, the members of Jazz Band I embarked on the band's first tour to the Dominican Republic.
During their week there, the musicians, according to professor of music Tony Guzman, spent their time "bringing the spirit of Luther to the Dominican Republic."
This was accomplished by performing five concerts and giving a workshop on jazz to young Dominican musicians at each concert site. The jazz band not only performed and taught on their tour, but they were taught in turn at the Dominican National Music Conservatory about Dominican music.
The trip has been several years in the planning as the President's Council of Culture in the Dominican Republic first contacted Dr. Guzman in the spring of 1998. After receiving approval from the music department for this trip, the jazz band recieved a formal invitation from the National System of Youth Symphony Orchestras would sponsor the band during its stay.
To prepare for the tour and subsequent concerts on campus, Jazz Band I rehearsed two hours a night, five nights a week in J-term and had frequent sectionals. The concert is one that should appeal to almost every listener.
The jazz band traces the historical developments of jazz by dividing its concert into four parts. The first part covers the swing era and features three songs by Duke Ellington. The second section is on bebop, cool jazz, and funk and will include charts such as the "Haitian Fight Song" and the ever-popular "Manteca." In the third part, the band will be performing more recent jazz compositions including a new composition by Luther student Bill Scheidecker ('00), "Skinnypatton's Road." The fourth and last section of the concert will be on Latin music and will include "Why Not," a tune arranged by Guzman.
While the concert is not intended to be a dance concert, people are certainly welcome and encouraged to do so.
"If the audience is moved to dance," says Guzman, "that would be the highest compliment to our performance."
The Luther community can hear the jazz band perform on campus on Friday, February 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the CFL.
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Daniel Reiff
Chips Staff Writer
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