ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – The Ouachita Baptist University Jazz Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3, in Jones Performing Arts Center. With musical genres ranging from Latin to rock and blues to funk, the free concert promises to be an entertaining evening.
Dr. Justin Isenhour, OBU assistant professor of music, will conduct the ensemble.
“Everybody responds almost instantly to the rhythmic nature of jazz,” Isenhour said. “With jazz, there’s also an improvisational element to the music. So, anything could happen on stage and it’s exciting.”
The band will perform the following selections: “Spain” by Chick Corea, Bob Lowden’s arrangement of “April in Paris,” Frank Mantooth’s arrangement of “Cherokee,” “Little Darlin’” by Neal Hefti, Mark Taylor’s arrangements of “Maiden Voyage” and “Fly Me to the Moon,” Larry Kerchner’s arrangement of “Your Cent Birdland,” Lennie Niehaus’ arrangement of “All of Me,” “Shiny Stockings” by Frank Foster, “Blues in the Closet” by Oscar Pettiford and “Besame Mucho” by Consuelo Valazquez.
Alyssa Reynolds, a senior music major from Sanger, Texas, will perform as the featured vocalist on four songs.
The trumpet section includes: Deborah Caldwell, a senior instrumental music education major from Siloam Springs, Ark.; Kelly Cortez, a sophomore biology major from McKinney, Texas; Lindsey Palmer, a freshman instrumental music education major from Idabel, Okla.; and David Willhite, a freshman history and Christian studies/Biblical studies major from Rowlett, Texas.
Playing trombones are Andrew McCraw, a senior instrumental music education major from Fort Worth, Texas; Evan Rogers, a junior church music major from Jacksonville, Ark.; Kaden Sosobee, a freshman worship arts major from Fort Smith, Ark.; and Bret Steed, a senior music performance major from Idabel, Okla.
Allan Bateman, a senior music theory and composition major from Perryville, Ark., and Sarah Walker, a sophomore Christian studies/Christian missions and Christian ministries major from Sulphur Springs, Texas, will play alto saxophone. Instrumental music education majors Brent Nessler, a junior from Rowlett, Texas, and Chelsea Villanueva, a sophomore from Bentonville, Ark., will play tenor saxophone while Megan Massey, a junior from Weatherford, Texas, will play the baritone saxophone.
The rhythm section includes Michael Curtis, a senior music major from Wylie, Texas, and Justin Massey, a freshman instrumental music education major from Weatherford, Texas, on bass guitar. Playing the guitars are Taylor Lamb, a senior Biblical languages and Christian studies/Biblical studies major from Conway, Ark., and James Norton, a junior music theory and composition major from Texarkana, Texas. Senior Christopher Mazen, a church music major from Shreveport, La., will play piano, and junior Zach Zucha, a business administration/finance major from Wylie, Texas, will play the drums.
The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129
Photo courtesy of Jason Pullano.
