Ouachita Stories

The Ouachita Baptist University Jazz Band will perform on Thursday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center under the direction of Dr. Craig Hamilton. The concert will feature Dr. Sim Flora, OBU professor of music theory and composition, and guest artist Harvey Price, assistant professor of music at the University of Delaware. The concert is free and open to the public.

The concert will feature styles of music from blues to rock to swing and Latin. This will provide guests with an opportunity to experience the wide variety of jazz music.

“Ouachita’s own Dr. Flora will perform his composition ‘“Duh” Blues,’ a blues piece played on trombone,” said Hamilton, OBU director of bands, Lena Goodwin Trimble Professor of Music and music education chair.

The Jazz Band will also perform “Jordu,” arranged by Mark Taylor and featuring Price on the vibraphone and “Scrapple from the Apple,” written by Charlie Parker and arranged by David Bandman and featuring Price on vibraphone and Flora on trombone. The band will also play “The Very Best of Times” by Gordon Goodwin and Mike Tamaro’s arrangement of “Higher Ground” by Stevie Wonder.

The concert will include Matt Harris’ “The Doze Knows,” “Strike Zone” by Carl Strommen and “This I Dig of You” by Hank Mobley and arranged by Mike Tomaro. Grace Johnson, a senior vocal performance major from Tyler, Texas, will then join the band for two selections, Mike Carubia’s arrangement of “As Time Goes By” and Dave Wolpe’s arrangement of “At Last.” Several student instrumentalists will also be featured throughout the concert.

Additionally, Price will perform two selections with the OBU rhythm section, “New Girl” by Duke Pearson and “A Night in Tunisia” by Dizzy Gillespie.

Flora has served more than 20 years at Ouachita, where he teaches music theory, jazz studies and music technology courses. He earned his bachelor of music degree from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, his master of music education degree from Ouachita and his doctor of philosophy in music education from the University of Oklahoma.

He has served on the faculty of Clark Terryʼs All-American Jazz Camps, various university summer jazz camps and is currently on staff with the Alessi Seminar. Flora has directed the numerous regional jazz honor groups and has performed as a trombone soloist across the U.S. He has also served as musical director at Six Flags Over St. Louis and has various arrangements published by Southern Music and LifeWay Christian Resources.

Price has served at the University of Delaware more than 30 years. In addition to teaching, he serves as director of the percussion band and ensembles. He earned his bachelor of music degree in percussion from the Philadelphia College of Performing Arts (now University of the Arts) and his master of music degree from Temple University.

As an avid director and performer, Price coordinates the internationally acclaimed steel ensemble Delaware Steel and performs with the University of Delaware’s Faculty Jazz Ensemble. He has also performed with artists such as Branford Marsalis, Elvis Costello, Ben Folds and Placido Domingo and performs regularly with The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the OperaDelaware orchestra, the early jazz group Bit O’Rhythm and many other groups.

The concert will also be webcast live at www.obu.edu/band. For more information, contact Dr. Craig Hamilton at [email protected] or (870) 245-5137.

By Breanne Goodrum