Director Tim McGarvey leads the Jazz Band during practice in preparation for their upcoming concert on Nov. 14.
“We’ll Be Together Again” by Frankie Laine & Carl Fischer is a ballad, while the tune “Free,” originally by “Chicago” in 1971, is rock. “Spain” by Chick Corea has a Latin flavor, while “Bay Side Groovin’” by Michael Sweeney is a contemporary blend of swing and hip-hop, based on the blues scale. “The Southeast Sixstep” by Eric Richards is a type of alternative jazz, and according to McGarvey, it has a “very different feel” and is a mix of Latin and swing.
The Jazz Band’s final piece was originally written for Count Basie’s Jazz Orchestra and is entitled “Basie—Straight Ahead” by Sammy Nestico. This composition is straight-up swing.
McGarvey said that although the pieces are all his favorite, if he had to decide, his favorite from the set is either “Southeast Six Step” or “Free,” which is the students’ favorite.
The Jazz Band is composed of 19 members playing saxophone, trombone, trumpet, flute, piano and percussion/drum set. One of the unique qualities of jazz is the ability for players to solo and improvise. This set will feature solos from 12 of the 19 members in the ensemble.
The Percussion Ensemble is composed of five members and is directed by Jon Morin.
Morin stated that he is excited for this concert, as it will be his first at NW. Morin is currently working towards a Master of Music degree in percussion performance from the University of Nebraska, Omaha.
Morin has selected three diverse pieces. The first is an arrangement of Beethoven’s Opus 18, No. 1, while the second is a hand drum piece inspired by East Indian table drumming with improvised solos. The last piece is energy-driven and suitably called “Equal Fire” by Paul Bissell.
