Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s Jazz Band will perform a concert at Jones Performing Arts Center on Monday, April 14, at 7:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

Carli Sasser, a senior choral music education major from Crossett, Ark., has been selected as this year’s featured vocal soloist.

“I really love that jazz band has given me the opportunity to get to know more of the instrumental students at Ouachita,” said Sasser. “It's been really fun to meet the friends I have made and watch them do their thing. They are all truly so talented.”

The event will feature songs from a variety of genres.

“Jazz music is the coolest type of music there is,” said Kelly Cortez, a junior biology and Spanish double major from Frisco, Texas, who will play trumpet at the concert. “It is fun and upbeat while soulful and intense at the same time. Plus, we are playing many classic jazz pieces that will bring you back to the glory of the 1900s.”

“Out of all the instrumental performances at Ouachita, the Jazz Band concert is the one that usually includes songs that people are familiar with,” added Sasser. “The atmosphere set by the music is incredibly fun and upbeat, and I just think it's a blast seeing and hearing them play.”

The Jazz Band provides an opportunity for students of various backgrounds to get involved and connect through their mutual love for music. “My favorite part of being a part of Jazz Band is the community we have,” Cortez said.

Takuto Hoshiro, a senior international law exchange student from Kitakyushu, Japan, has been able to connect with the Ouachita community through playing the tenor saxophone for the Jazz Band. “All of the Jazz Band members are very funny,” said Hoshiro. “We have been practicing hard for the concert, and I enjoy getting to spend time together before I go back to Japan.”

The Jazz Band concert will begin with “Storm Warning” by Marius Nordal, followed by Mark Taylor’s arrangement of “And I Love Her” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, John Wasson’s arrangement of “The Best of Sly and The Family Stone” by Sylvester Stewart, “In Full Swing” by Lennie Niehaus, “Come Out Swinin’” by Larry Neeck, Dave Barduhn’s arrangement of “That’s All” by Alan Brandt and Bob Haynes, Michael Philip Mossman’s arrangement of “Afro Blue” by Mongo Santamaria and Mike Tomaro’s arrangement of “Manteca” by Dizzy Gillespie, Walter Gil Fuller and Luciano Pozo Gonzales.

The concert will feature vocal performances by Carli Sasser in Dave Wolpe’s arrangement of  “Summer Wind” by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mayer, Jerry Nowak’s arrangement of “Stormy Weather” by Ted Koehler and Harold Arlen and Mark Taylor’s arrangement of “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder.

In addition to Cortez, trumpeters for the event include: Lindsay Palmer, a sophomore music education major from Idabel, Okla.; Alexandra Lawson, a freshman accounting major from Texarkana, Texas; and Kacie Richards, a freshman biology major from Springdale, Ark.

Trombone players include: Jason Potts, a freshman music education major from Springdale, Ark.; Kaden Sosebee, a sophomore Christian studies major from Fort Smith, Ark.; Dalton King, a freshman music education major from Greenwood, Ark.; and Bret Steed, a senior music performance major form Idabel, Okla.

Saxophonists include: Chelsea Villanueva, a junior music education major Bentonville, Ark.; Brent Nessler, a senior music education major from Rowlett, Texas; Zach Barber, a sophomore music education major from Mansfield, Texas; and Allison King, a senior music education major from Fort Worth, Texas.

Guitarist Lee Garrett, a freshman music major from Searcy, Ark., will perform alongside bassist Justin Massey, a sophomore music education major from Weatherford, Texas. On the drums will be Drew Ervin, a senior music and computer science major from Springdale, Ark. The pianist will be Weston Wills, a freshman instrumental music education major from Norphlet, Ark.

Watch the concert live online at http://new.livestream.com/obu/jazzbandspring2014. For more information, contact Dr. Craig Hamilton at [email protected] or (870) 245-5137.

By Molly Bowman