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Jazz Studies to Present 'Blues in the Night' Concert

10/07/2015

JONESBORO – Arkansas State University Jazz Studies will present the annual “Blues in the Night” concert on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in Fowler Center’s Riceland Hall, 201 Olympic Dr.

"The concert will feature the two large jazz ensembles performing music for every taste - from the classic big band era to premieres of today’s music," according to Dr. Ken Carroll, director of jazz studies and associate professor of music.  Admission is free and open to the public.

The Lab Band will open the program with “I Always Get the Blues from You,” a great swing number by Dallas trombonist Michael Medrick.  They will follow with “Oswego Swagger” by Bob Washut, which will feature a New York texture and the talented rhythm section.

The group will then create musical images of pastel and love with Melba Liston’s “Tone Poem.” The Lab Band will conclude its portion of the evening with the energetic funk tune titled “Honk,” by Jeff Jarvis.

Jazz Orchestra will complete the evening with another entertaining and challenging set featuring creative soloists and top-flight ensemble precision.  They will open with “Cold Duck Time,” a classic soul tune by Eddie Harris. 

The band salutes the best of the big band era with a Duke Ellington band classic “Squatty Roo” by Johnny Hodges, then follow up with a work written by trombonist and dean of the College of Fine Arts, Dr. Don Bowyer.  It is a swing piece with Cuban flare titled “Bugs and Gas.” 

The ballad “Find We All at Thoughtful Repose,” also by Medrick, allows the band to conjure images of the great 1940s dance halls.

The Jazz Orchestra will wrap up the evening with a special treat: the premiere of Chris Ott’s setting of “Yankee Doodle.”  Ott, the trombonist and writer for the unbelievable jazz group “The Huntertones,” loaned A-State Jazz Orchestra this amazing nursery rhyme setting and the band fell in love with it.

For more details, please contact the Department of Music at (870) 972-2094.

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Jazz Orchestra Members

Member Name

Position

City

State

Josh Carter

Alto Sax

Jonesboro

AR

Jon Vickers

Alto Sax

Paragould

AR

Cody Ballard

Tenor Sax

Jonesboro

AR

Tyler Rasmussen

Tenor Sax

Jonesboro

AR

Lauren Dudley

Baritone Sax

Dexter

MO

Adam Waddell

Trombone

Jonesboro

AR

Cody Hutchison

Trombone

Jonesboro

AR

Nathan Peoples

Trombone

Jonesboro

AR

Andy Hakenwerth

Trombone

Jonesboro

AR

Dalton Henson

Trombone

Hoxie

AR

Jimmy Hood

Guitar

Jonesboro

AR

T. J. Irvin

Trumpet

Poplar Bluff

MO

Kevin Tinker

Trumpet

Dallas

TX

Austin Merriman

Trumpet

Jonesboro

AR

Hunter Durham

Trumpet

Paragould

AR

Cassie Ferrell

Piano

Jonesboro

AR

Samantha Holt

Piano

Jonesboro

AR

Terrell Montgomery

Bass

Fort Smith

AR

Emily Lindley

Drums

Jonesboro

AR

Chris Isom

Drums

Jonesboro

AR

  

Jazz Lab Band Members

Member Name

Position

City

State

Yu Minakata

Ato Sax

Japan

Ana Munoz

Ato Sax

Jonesboro

AR

Clinton Summers

Ato Sax

Berryville

AR

Kyle Thrasher

Tenor Sax

Poplar Bluff

MO

Dakota Gage

Tenor Sax

Hoxie

AR

Tyler Remagen

Tenor Sax

Rector

AR

James Renshaw

Baritone Sax

Jonesboro

AR

Fumi Kubota

Trombone

Japan

Austin Lynn

Trombone

Jonesboro

AR

Andrew Jones

Trombone

Jonesboro

AR

Cody Duncan

Trombone

Jonesboro

AR

Nicholas Davis

Guitar

Lake City

AR

Bryant Bewley

Trumpet

Springdale

AR

Christa Burgess

Trumpet

El Dorado

AR

Chris Wilson

Trumpet

Memphis

TN

Allie Gudeaa

Trumpet

Paragould

AR

Spencer Qualls

Trumpet

Bryant

AR

Tyler Worsham

Piano

Keiser

AR

Christian Kitterman

Bass

Jonesboro

AR

Jordan Ramsey

Bass

Griffithville

AR

Jack Mixon

Drums

Jonesboro AR

Alex Washam

Drums

Jonesboro

AR