photo by Katie Buntsma
The nineteen members of Northwestern’s jazz band have been busily preparing for their upcoming performance. The concert, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 13, at 7:30 p.m. in Christ Chapel, includes seven pieces that cover a variety of styles.
Junior Nick Crippin said, “We’re playing a pretty good mix of songs, including slow swings and some faster Latin pieces.”
The ensemble will also perform numbers including “Children of the Night” by Wayne Shorter along with “Count the Aces” and “Front Burner” by Sammy Nestico.
Director Timothy McGarvey said, “Some of the music originated from some of the biggest names in jazz history.”
Special touches from NW participants include several solos and even some improvisation. Senior trumpet player Dan Mangold is one of nine soloists.
Playing solos “is fun because you get to uniquely express yourself,” Mangold said. “However it is also very intimidating as jazz solos can be difficult to get the correct style and make it sound like it’s supposed to.”
Sophomore Sarah Bartz will entertain with improvisation. With a versatile role as the piano player, Bartz provides background and solo parts while “adding splashes of musical color to the piece and keeping it melodically interesting.” One of the highlights for Bartz is in Nestico’s piece when she gets to improvise alongside the bass and flute. Bartz said it is “nerve-wracking but extremely fun” because the result always slightly differs.
Bartz says the concert will be “a great experience to come and hear the variety of pieces we play. There is such a wide range of styles, it means everyone can get into it.”