Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University's Jazz Band is set to perform on Monday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public.

"I am very excited about the Ouachita Jazz Band concert,” said Jazz Band Director Dr. Craig Hamilton, OBU’s Lena Goodwin Trimble Professor of Music and director of bands. “The students are playing great, and I think the audience will really enjoy our program. We have a little something for everyone."

The program for the concert will include 11 selections, beginning with “Jazz Between Friends” by Scott Stanton. The next piece will be “Aim High” by Fred Sturm, followed by “Mambo Hot” by Victor Lopez, “Goodbye My Heart” by Mike Smukal, “Talk Is Cheep” by Chris Berg and Paul Martha’s arrangement of “Nardis” by Miles Davis. The concert will continue with Mark Taylor’s arrangement of “Chega De Saudade (No More Blues)” by Antonio Carolos Jobim, followed by “Summer Never Ends” by Bill Liston, “The Next Big Thing” by Bret Zvacek and Roger Holmes’ arrangement of “Feeling Good” by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. The concert will conclude with “El Lobo” by Carl Strommen.

Alyssa Reynolds, a senior music major from Sanger, Texas, will be the featured vocalist for “Chega De Saudade (No More Blues)” and “Feeling Good.” Several instrumentalists also will be featured as soloists throughout the concert, including Allan Bateman, Michael Curtis, Dr. Craig Hamilton, Christopher Mazen, Andrew McCraw, Brent Nessler, James Norton and Bret Steed.

Students playing saxophones include: Allan Bateman, a senior music theory and composition major from Perryville, Ark.; Zach Barber, a freshman instrumental music education major from Ennis, Texas; Megan Massey, a junior instrumental music education major from Weatherford, Texas; Brent Nessler, a junior instrumental music education major from Rowlett, Texas; and Chelsea Villanueva, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Bentonville, Ark.

Students playing trumpets include: Kelly Cortez, a sophomore biology and Spanish major from McKinney, Texas; Elizabeth Lawson, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Texarkana, Texas; and Lindsay Palmer, a freshman instrumental music education major from Idabel, Okla.

Students playing trombones include: Andrew McCraw, a senior music major from Fort Worth, Texas; Syaka Shiratsuchi, a freshman English major from Fukuoka, Japan; Kaden Sosebee, a freshman Christian studies/Christian theology and Biblical studies major from Fort Smith, Ark.; and Bret Steed, a junior music performance major from Idabel, Okla.

The rhythm section will include: Michael Curtis, a senior music major from Wylie, Texas; Justin Massey, a freshman instrumental music education major from Weatherford, Texas; Christopher Mazen, a senior church music major from Shreveport, La.; James Norton, a junior music theory and composition major from Texarkana, Texas; and Zach Zucha, a senior business administration/finance major from Sachse, Texas.

The concert will also be web cast live at www.obu.edu/band. For more information, contact the School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.

By Kelsey Lamb