By John Anderson and Malachi Thornton
College of Fine Arts and Communication Media Office
CONWAY — The University of Central Arkansas Jazz Ensembles will be in concert Oct. 15 at the Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall.
The Dixieland Band, Jazz Ensemble I and Jazz Ensemble II will perform in the 7:30 p.m. concert, which is free and open to the public.
“Our jazz ensembles serve the purpose of teaching our music students about jazz, America’s only unique musical art form,” said Dr. Jackie Lamar, professor of saxophone and director of the Dixieland Band. “The style of this music has specific musical interpretations, and they learn about this class. In addition, they develop skills of improvising jazz style music over chord changes, a specific style element of jazz.”
Lamar said the jazz ensembles were highly visible in the community. Each semester they perform several concerts on campus and in the community.
“The students enjoy the audience responses to their playing,” Lamar said. “The jazz concerts are particularly popular with students in music appreciation courses.”
Program for the Dixieland Band will include the traditional New Orleans parade tune “Olympia on Parade”, “Up a Lazy River” by Hoagy Carmichael and “Tiger Rag” by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band from 1917.
Jazz Ensemble II, directed by Dr. Gail Robertson, will perform “Slam Dunk” by Lennie Niehaus, “Hobo Flats” by Oliver Nelson, “Here’s That Rainy Day” by Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen (featuring soprano Christine Donahue), “Great Scott” by Chris Poehler and “Crescent River Ramble” by Erik Morales (featuring Brandon Short on drums).
Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Larry Jones, will perform “Braggin’ N Brass” by Duke Ellington, “Hard Sock Dance” by Quincy Jones and Ernest Baily, “Down by the Riverside” arranged by Oliver Nelson and “Coconut Champagne” by Denis Diblasioons.
For more information, contact Lamar at 501-450-5759 or jackiel@uca.edu.
The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing, as well as the School of Communication. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call 501-450-3293.
