The University of Central Arkansas Jazz Ensembles will perform a tribute concert for Dr. Jerry Manion, Wednesday, September 24, 2014 in the Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall.
The concert is free and open to the public and will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Two UCA student bands will perform: Jazz Ensemble I and the Dixieland Band.
The bands will pay tribute to Manion, a member of the UCA Dixieland Band for more than 35 years and chemistry professor at UCA, who died on July 18, 2014.
“We want to honor him and have a tribute concert for him,” said Dr. Jackie Lamar, professor of saxophone and director of the Dixieland Band.
Lamar has made plans for “a photo-montage” of Manion to be showing on a television screen in the lobby.”
The Dixieland Band performance will include songs from the traditional New Orleans-style era. Lamar said the band would play “Oh, Didn’t He Ramble” by Will Handy, “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” a traditional gospel tune and most popular New Orleans funeral dirge, “Hard Hearted Hannah” by Jack Yellen, “St. James Infirmary” by Joe Primrose and “Swing Low Sweet Chariot/When The Saints Go Marching In” by Luther Presley and Virgil O. Stamps.
Alumni members of the band are encouraged to participate in the performance of the band’s traditional version of “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” and “When the Saints Go Marching In”.
Songs by Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Larry Jones, include “Struttin’ with Some Barbecue” by Louis Armstrong, “King Porter Stomp” by Jelly Roll Morton, “Basie’s Buddy B” by John LaBarbara, and “Hunting Wabbits” by Gordon Goodwin.
The UCA Dixieland Band was formed in the fall of 1975 by now retired UCA music professor Patrick Hasty. The group performs concerts on campus as well as provides music for cultural and civic events in the surrounding area. The ensemble blends all styles of Dixieland music, from Early New Orleans Style to Chicago Style and beyond.
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, Communication, Mass Communication and Theatre, Music and Writing. 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.