By Andrea Banda
A&E Editor
One of Pepperdine’s music ensembles filled Raitt Recital Hall with the smooth sounds of jazz Tuesday night. The nine members of the Pepperdine Jazz Ensemble performed in front of a nearly full audience during their only concert of the semester.
The group is composed of two alto saxophone players, sophomore Ashley Turner and junior Shane McCollum; sophomore Chris Stalker on the trumpet; junior Joseph Cochran on the piano; junior Jim Edmonds on the guitar, Davy Jones on bass and freshmen Patrick McKenna and Tim Hicks on the drums. The members prepared all semester to grace the audience with their musical talent.
The group played a variety of music from classic jazz to more modern pieces. The mix of music encompassed West Coast jazz, which music professor and Director Brian Scanlon said “is a lighter approach and a response to bebop of the East and Midwest.”
They also performed a song by Sting, who Scanlon called “one of the current pop artists with a lot of jazz influence.” During Sting’s song “Fragile,” Scanlon also joined in and played the soprano saxophone.
During each number at least one member of the group showcased their individual talent with a solo.
Ashley Turner, an alto sax player, said the concert was exciting to see how things came together in the end.
“I was proud,” she said. “The ensemble did a good job of coming together and putting on a good concert.”
To add a little variety to the jazz show, student Christen Wismann sang “Ain’t Misbehavin’ “ by Fats Waller and “My Funny Valentine” by Rodgers and Hart while the group accompanied her. Scanlon said she impressed the band with her voice back in January when she asked to sing with the group.
Scanlon took a moment before the end of the concert to acknowledge the supportive audience.
“It’s great to see and hear such a full and enthusiastic audience,” he said. “It puts energy into our performance.”
April 03, 2003
