Jazz musicians hit all the right notes

Jazz musicians rehearse to bring
big-band swing and toe-tapping
jives to campus in thier upcoming
performance.

“These musicians have worked
really hard,” Paul Brewer said, director
of instrumental music.

“If people could come out to support
them, that would be great,"
Brewer said.

Brewer knows from his own
experience how much work goes
into playing an instrument. When
he was fi rst learning to play, there
would be days he would put in eight
hours of practice.

Bryson Mccutcheon, a jazz guitar
major and performer in the combo
night, can vouch for the amount of
work musicians put in on a daily
basis.

Mccutcheon says that for musicians
to be successful, they have to
“practice at least fi ve hours a day,”
and that playing an instrument is
“like having a part-time job.”

The combos will play some standards
from the Typical American
Song Book, which means even the
most novice jazz fan will recognize
the tunes played.

Bryan Hoersten, a music teacher
at Avon High School in Ohio, says
that combo performances are “intimate”
and they provide a great opportunity
for people to “appreciate,
and focus on the music.”

“Big-band jazz provides great
music to dance to,” Hoersten said,
“but the combo is designed for actual
listening.”

According to Hoersten, most
combos will consist of a rhythm
section, which includes a guitar,
drummer or piano to go with the
horn players.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month,
and the Jazz Combo Night provides
jazz fans the opportunity to honor
talented jazz musicians. “Beginning
jazz players need to see as much live
jazz as possible,” Mccutcheon said.
Oh, and one more thing.

“Practice, practice, practice."
The concert is on April 29 and begins
at 7 p.m. Admission is free but
donations to scholarship funds are
welcome and appreciated.