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Ouachita Jazz Band to present concert on Nov. 6

Ouachita Jazz Band to present concert on Nov. 6.October 20, 2017 - Rachel Bruton

The Ouachita Baptist University Jazz Band will perform on Monday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be held in Jones Performing Arts Center on Ouachita’s campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

“It’s fun music,” said Dr. Craig Hamilton, Ouachita’s Lena Goodwin Trimble Professor of Music and director of bands. “We will play several different styles of music within the jazz idiom. I hope will enjoy the music and be entertained while maybe learning something new about jazz.”

“The Ouachita Jazz Band has the instrumentation of a big band,” Hamilton noted. “During rehearsals, we work on the music for each concert, but we also work on improvisation and learn about styles and a little jazz history.” Hamilton said that combination of building skills and knowledge and seeing the students’ progress through the semester are among his favorite parts of directing the Jazz Band.

“The atmosphere is so much more relaxed than any other ensemble I play in,” said Sierra Westberg, a junior instrumental music education major from Arkadelphia, Ark., who plays alto saxophone in the band. “We’re like a family. After the concert, we go on tour with the Wind Ensemble and get to play for high schools around the state.”

The concert will begin with “Vertigo” by Doug Beach; “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To,” arranged by Roger Holmes; “My Buddy,” arranged by Dave Wolpe; “I Love You,” arranged by Chris Sharp; “Salt Peanuts,” arranged by Mark Taylor; “I’m Old Fashioned” by Jerome Kern and Johnny Mercer; and “Mystic Travele,” by Michael Sweeney. The concert will conclude with “My Ship,” arranged by Dave Rivello; “Red Clay,” arranged by Mike Crotty; “It’s Only a Paper Moon,” arranged by Rick Stitzel; “Little Sunflower,” arranged by Mike Kamuf; “Lester Leaps In,” arranged by Rich Sigler; and “Flew the Coop,” by Kris Berg.

The Ouachita Baptist University Jazz Band features four different instrumental sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones and rhythm, as well as a solo vocalist.

Members of the Jazz Band include:

On saxophone—C.J. Slatton (alto), a senior instrumental music education major from Paragould, Ark.; Sierra Westberg (alto), a junior instrumental music education major from Arkadelphia, Ark.; Kailee Morehart (alto), a freshman pre-medicine major from Alexander, Ark.; Andrew Martin (tenor), a senior theatre arts major from Hot Springs Village, Ark.; Andrew Lockhart (tenor), a junior worship arts major from Rogers, Ark., and Morgan Taylor (baritone), a junior music industry major from Hot Springs, Ark.

On trumpet—Blake Turner, a senior instrumental music performance major from Fort Worth, Texas; Justin Trostle, a sophomore music industry major from El Dorado, Ark., and Dalton Heinsohn, a junior instrumental music education major from Hallsville, Texas.

On trombone—Cayli Campbell, a junior instrumental music performance major from Texarkana, Texas; Bryson Clegg, a junior music and political science double major from Malvern, Ark.; Andrew Coop, a freshman worship arts major from Gladewater, Texas, and Rachel Clifton, a senior instrumental music education major from Alma, Ark.

On rhythm—Tyler Sanders, a junior music industry major from Arkadelphia, Ark., on piano; Caleb Smith, a junior instrumental music education major from Conway, Ark., on bass; Beaux Schmidt, a junior music industry major from Wylie, Texas, on guitar; and Winston Gentry, a senior music major from Houston, Texas, on drums.

Esther Atkinson, a senior musical theatre major from Rogers, Ark., will be the vocal soloist for the band.

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

 

By Rachel Bruton

October 20, 2017

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