Band, Orchestra and Voices: A Jazz Weekend at HSU


The HSU school year closes with a weekend of jazz, May 3 through 5: the Big Band sounds of the AM Jazz Band on Thursday, May 3, a jazz vocal extravaganza with the Madrigal Singers and MRT Singers on Friday, May 4, and the HSU Jazz Orchestra playing classics and originals on Saturday, May 5.

All concerts are at 8 PM in the Fulkerson Recital Hall on the HSU campus. Tickets for each are $6 general, $2 students and seniors, free to HSU students with ID, from HSU Ticket Office (826-3928) or at the door.

On Thursday, May 3, the AM Jazz Band begins and ends their evening with classic compositions by jazz greats John Coltrane and Charles Mingus, both first recorded in 1957. “Moment’s Notice” by saxophonist John Coltrane (from his album, Blue Train) exemplifies his “sheet of sound” composition style of the late 50s. The HSU band plays an arrangement by Mark Taylor. “Haitian Fight Song,” heard on The Clown album, remains one of the best known and most frequently played compositions by bassist Charles Mingus.

Between these two classics, the AM Jazz Band plays the theme from the 1951 Walt Disney movie classic, Alice in Wonderland, by Bob Hilliard and Sammy Fain, arranged for big band by Roger Holmes. The rest of the program consists of works written specifically for big band by contemporary composers: “Dark Side of the Blues” by Andy Classen, “A Warm Breeze” by Sammy Nestico and the Latin beat of “Revenge of the Chili Pepper” by Doug Beach and George Shutack.

This semester the AM Jazz Band is directed by HSU Music Department Assistant Professor Paul Cummings.


On Friday, May 4, the HSU Madrigal Singers perform a cappella madrigals, funky jazz and music from the 1940s, followed by the Mad River Transit Singers with a program of blues, swing and ballads, in their combined spring concert.

After warming up with some a cappella madrigals, the Madrigal Singers’ jazz set includes “Java Jive,” “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” “Choo Choo Ch’ Boogie” and “Frim Fram Sauce.” John Chernoff provides piano accompaniment.

The MRT singers begin with a blues tribute (“Scat Blues in D,” “Dupree’s Diamond Blues” and “Bluesette,”), and perform classics by George Gershwin (“I Got Plenty of Nothin’”), Harold Arlen (“If I Only Had a Brain” from The Wizard of Oz) and Charlie Parker (“Au Privave.”)

Mindy Willens and Bernie Steinberg combine for a vocal duet on Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird,” and the group performs the legendary “Harlem Nocturne,” written by Earle Hagen in 1939 and arranged by Michele Weir, with a sax solo by Matthew Brogdon. MRT is accompanied by a three-piece rhythm section: Joel Bettencourt (piano), Robert Amrkhan (bass) and Jonathan Kipp (drums.)

The evening ends as it began—with some a cappella singing: “Acappella in Acapulco” by Anders Edenroth. HSU Professor Harley Muilenburg directs both ensembles.

On Saturday, May 5, the HSU Jazz Orchestra features student and alumni works: "Song For Yong Zoo" by Youn Joo Sim, "Adamra" by Simon Lucas, "Alone In The Fishbowl" by HSU alum (and Eureka High grad) Jared Coyle, and "E's Flat, Ah's Flat, Too", a Charles Mingus composition arranged by HSU student Tommy Obeso. Other music on the program includes compositions by Dave Holland, Gerald Wilson and Duke Ellington. The Jazz Orchestra is comprised of the best student jazz players, and is conducted by Assistant Professor Dan Aldag of the HSU Music Department.