Jazz up the evening

Liberty University’s Jazz Ensemble performed various musical selections

For the first time during the 2015 fall semester, the Liberty University jazz ensemble took to the stage in Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall and performed a collection of classic, cool and even Christian compositions for the school of music’s annual concert series, Thursday, Sept. 24.

The ensemble, which contained students from each class, was divided into four sections — saxophone, trumpet, trombone and rhythm — and consisted of 21 musicians. Director Edwin Parker expressed his approval of the performance, especially considering the fact that the group had less than a month to prepare.

“(The ensemble) was great, very energetic,” Parker said. “We had less than a month to put this together, and I’m so proud of them. They did a superb job.”

Parker selected seven compositions for the ensemble’s performance, each of which Parker believed specifically catered to each musician’s strengths and weaknesses.

“I really look at my personnel every year … and I choose pieces that are going to highlight my band,” Parker said.

A primary example of this was displayed during the fifth song the ensemble performed, entitled Backrow Politics, a composition written by Grammy-award winning artist Gordon Goodwin. Parker noted the band consisted of five trumpet players — the most of any position — so he made this selection with the intent of showcasing their sound.

“Every one of these songs is fun and good to play,” Parker said. “They offer something different for the listener as well as the band.”

Along with Backrow Politics, Parker’s selections included another Goodwin classic, Floating Home, a composition riddled with solos.

Every song provided at least one member from each of the four sections a solo opportunity, most of which were improvised. This too was taken into consideration during the selection process.

Out of all the musicians with solos, one who appeared to arise and amaze the audience time after time was tenor saxophonist and jazz studies student, sophomore Courtier Perry.

Despite the fact that Perry, along with the other soloists, had to occasionally improvise, the sophomore out of Charlotte, North Carolina said that when the first note is played, all nervousness “goes away.”

Freshman drummer Riley Ball echoed his fellow jazz studies student in that all nervousness subsided once the music began.

“Once you get the feel (of the music), you groove with it,” Ball said.

He was one of four drummers in the band. Parker switched drummers out after certain songs, as each held his own unique style. Ball’s only showing was during one of Parker’s favorites, Take Five by Paul Desmond, a unique piece known as one of the few compositions that incorporate odd-meter, a style that contains both simple and compound beats, according to a publication by the school of music.

Another selection Parker was particularly keen on was a composition entitled The Gospel Truth. Before the band performed this piece, Parker told the audience how much he and the school of music enjoy highlighting Christian music.

The other three compositions performed were Four-Five-Six, A Wynton Marsalis piece called Sanctified Blues and Perry’s personal favorite of the evening, Cerulean Sky.

After the final note was played and the heavy applause subsided, Parker took to the stage one last time to commend his band for their performance and inform the audience of how proud he was.

He also mentioned that the jazz ensemble would host one more performance during the 2015 fall semester Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Towns-Alumni Lecture Hall.

For more information, including the entire calendar of the School of Music Concert Series, visit liberty.edu/academics/music.

HAYWOOD is the editor-in-chief.