facebook pixel
skip to main content

Ouachita Stories

news

Ouachita’s Jazz Band to present spring concert March 31

Ouachita’s Jazz Band to present spring concert March 31.March 15, 2016 - Ali Robinson

Ouachita Baptist University’s Jazz Band will present its spring concert on Thursday, March 31, at 7:30 p.m. in Jones Performing Arts Center. The performance is free and open to the public.

The band features 17 students under the direction of Dr. Craig Hamilton, Ouachita’s Lena Goodwin Trimble Professor of Music and director of bands. Esther Atkinson, a junior musical theatre major from Rogers, Ark., will accompany the band as a vocal soloist.

“I have been leading the Ouachita Jazz Band for over 30 years. I enjoy working with the students and helping them learn about jazz,” Hamilton said. “I get excited seeing them develop a passion for playing their instruments in all of our ensembles.”

The performance will feature several styles of music including big band, jazz, swing, rock, Latin and funk.

The Jazz Band will perform “The Opener” by Carl Strommen; Dave Wolpe’s arrangement of “Just Friends” by John Klenner; Dave Wolpe’s arrangement of “I’ve Got the World on a String” by Ted Koehler and Harold Arlen; Sammy Nestico’s arrangement of “A Beautiful Friendship” by Stantly Styne and Donald Kahne; Mike Tomaro’s “Another Story”; Dave Wolpe’s arrangement of “You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You” by Russ Morgan, Larry Stock and Jack Cavanaugh; Greg Yasinitsky’s arrangement of “Shiny Stockings” by Frank Foster; Dave Wolpe’s arrangement of “Take Five” by Paul Desmond, Iola Brubeck and Dave Brubeck; Mark Taylor’s arrangement of “That Old Black Magic” by Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen; Doug Beach’s “Blue Madness”; “Si Senor!” by Chris Sharp; and “Feelin’ the Funk” by Eric Morales.

“The band has continually improved throughout the semester and is playing very well,” Hamilton explained. “I know the audience will enjoy the concert.”

Student musicians performing in the spring 2016 Jazz Band concert are:

Saxophones: CJ. Slatton, a sophomore music education major from Paragould, Ark.; Sierra Westberg, a freshman music education major from Arkadelphia, Ark.; Morgan Taylor, a freshman music major from Hot Springs, Ark.; and Nathan Bateman, a sophomore music major from Perryville, Ark.

Trumpets: Blake Turner, a sophomore music major from Fort Worth, Texas; Alexandra Lawson, a senior accounting major from Texarkana, Texas; Bradley Shuffield, a freshman business administration major from Arkadelphia, Ark.; and Tyler Sanders, a freshman music major from Arkadelphia, Ark.

Trombones: Jason Potts, a junior instrumental performance major from Springdale, Ark.; Dalton King, a junior music education major from Greenwood, Ark.; Bryson Clegg, a freshman music education major from Malvern, Ark.; and Kaden Sosebee, a Christian studies major from Fort Smith, Ark.

Rhythm: Weston Wills, a senior worship arts major from Norphlet, Ark.; Caleb Smith, a freshman music education major from Conway, Ark.; Winston Gentry, a sophomore music and mass communications double major from Houston, Texas; Zack Willis, a junior music major from Redfield, Ark.; and Brandon Lovelady, a senior instrumental performance major from Hot Springs, Ark.

The concert also will stream live online at www.obu.edu/band. For more information about Ouachita’s Jazz Band, contact Dr. Craig Hamilton at [email protected] or (870) 245-5137.

 

By Ali Robinson

Top