Tuesday, September 28, 2010
PRINCESS ANNE, MD-(September 28, 2010)Refueled by a spring trip to the Ocho Rios International Jazz Festival in Jamaica, the University of Maryland Jazz Ensemble prepares for their traditional opener to the fall semester-the Jazz Ensemble Concert.
The annual Fall Jazz Ensemble Concert takes place Friday, October 8, at 7 p.m. in the Ella Fitzgerald Center for the Performing Arts with guest saxophonist Gary Keller of the University of Miami taking the stage. Keller plays in the “upstate tenor” tradition of Don Menza, Bobby Militello and Larry Cavelli. He has worked with jazz artists and ensembles such as Woody Herman, Frank Sinatra, Dave Liebman and Ira Sullivan and has performed at major jazz clubs and festivals including the Blue Note Tokyo, North Sea Jazz Fest, Montreal Jazz Fest and the Bimhaus.
New this year to the UMES Jazz Ensemble is vocalist Brittany Lewis, one of the late Jack Burton’s students from Pocomoke High’s Band, singing among others, “For Once in My Life,” “Stella by Starlight” and “The Man I Love.”
According to Dr. John Lamkin, director of bands at UMES, the ensemble has many new pieces to perform such as an original composition by Sammy Nestico, “Wind Machine,” performed by the Count Bassie Band. “It’s an exciting uptempo piece that will thrill the audience,” Lamkin said.
The ensemble will also do an arrangement by Frank Tamoro titled “Gingerbread Boy,” a tune by Jimmy Heath, the legendary saxophone player. “In the arrangement, the rhythm section plays a traditional New Orleans-style “Second Line” beat,” Lamkin said. “It’s really interesting and is the first time that the band has attempted to play in this style. Patrick McHenry (the percussion lecturer at UMES) has been working diligently with the percussionists to make sure that the rhythm section has it together.”
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 410-651-6571.
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Gail Stephens, assistant director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-651-7580, gcstephens@umes.edu.
Bill Robinson, director, UMES Office of Public Relations, 410-621-2355, wrobinson3@umes.edu.
