ULV Jazz Band raises roof, brings down house
Campus Times
December 11, 1998
John Joines (tenor sax), Erik Bjerke (trumpet) and Michael Gruden
(trombone) carry the melody of Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce"
during the ULV Jazz Ensemble's concert Friday night. Other members of the
ensemble are Emily Old (bass), Marcin Janiszewski (guitar) and Tom Moese
(drums). After the Jazz Ensemble performed, the Anthony Fesmire Group took
the stage and played a number of original tunes written by Fesmire and Dave
Lockeretz.
Pangs of an electric guitar; smoothness of the saxophone; thumps from
the bass; clashing of wooden sticks on drums and cymbals; and the wailing
of wind through a trumpet or trombone. Collectively, these sounds could
not prevent the bobbing of heads and tapping of feet during the ULV Jazz
Ensemble's concert Friday night.
Under the direction of Anthony Fesmire, the Ensemble entertained the
50-member house in Founders Auditorium with a collection of five musical
pieces. Students junior Marcin Janiszewski on guitar; sophomore John Joines
on saxophone; senior Emily Old on bass; drummer Tom Moese, also a senior;
and freshmen Michael Gruden and Eric Bjerke on trombone and trumpet, respectively,
made up the group that played favorite jazz and swing songs. Freshman Chastity
Archer is also a part of the group as a trombone player, but was not able
to attend the performance.
"I came to enjoy smooth jazz and I thought it was absolutely wonderful,"
said sophomore sociology major Michelle Crenshaw, who attended the event
to support Gruden. "I couldn't help but stomping my feet and bopping
my head."
This instantaneous motion seemed to be a chain reaction for the majority
of the crowd. Some people encouraged the Ensemble with cheers or sporadic
applause following performances by solo musicians or key pieces of a composition.
Joines was one of the soloists. He has been playing the saxophone for
14 years and has been involved in jazz for six years.
"It's just a major part of my life," he said. "I can't
live without it."
Among Joines' favorite pieces from the performance is "Billie's
Bounce," composed by infamous bebop saxophone player Charlie Parker.
Joines said he enjoyed this work the most because it is a "medium-fast
standard bebop song from the 40s," and he simply enjoys playing "that
kind of music. That's my favorite style of jazz to play."
Other compositions performed by the Ensemble included "A Day in
Vienna" by Slide Hampton, "Chameleon" by Herbie Hancock and
Joe Garland's "In the Mood," the swing song recognized by its
long-winded, loud trumpet and trombone sound.
Crenshaw said that, from the entire Ensemble's concert, she liked this
piece the most. "'In the Mood' was the best piece because it combined
elements of jazz and swing," she said.
Joines admitted that "In the Mood" was perhaps the most difficult
piece to play, simply because its original composition was intended to be
performed by a group larger than this seven-member band. The 1930s swing
song was performed by the Glen Miller Band originally, but was arranged
by Dave Lockeretz for the ULV Ensemble.
His favorite piece, "Chameleon," is "kind of a rock-n-roll
funky kind of thing and everybody likes funk. It makes you bob your head,"
he said. Joines also said he was satisfied with the overall effort and performance
of the Ensemble as a whole.
"We work together very well as a team," said Joines. "Everyone
did a stellar job."
Following the Ensemble's performance, Fesmire, the group's director,
led his own band in a 7-piece performance of their own. The Anthony Fesmire
Group complimented the Ensemble's performance with success. Guitarist Fesmire,
bass player Lockeretz, drummer Steve Tashjian and keyboard accompanist Dr.
Reed Gratz, professor of music, combined their individual talents to entertain
the crowd.
"Anthony's band was inspirational. As a musician, I thought their
performance was tight and eclectic," said senior Justin Cable, a finance
and accounting major.
In their own performance, the band played some of their own works, including
"Southern California Song," "Adobe," "Believe You
Me" and "Rattlesnakes" by Lockeretz. Like Lockeretz's compositions,
Fesmire's own works of "Autumn" and "Ahead of You" encouraged
more head bopping from the audience. By the conclusion of their performance,
the Anthony Fesmire Group granted the crowd's request for an encore performance.
"Each musician had their own unique style but the band as whole
just clicked," said Cable.
The audience showed their appreciation and enjoyment of both groups
with great applaud and cheer.
"I'm hoping that the University will sponsor more concerts with
different styles of music," Cable said. "It's a good way to relax
and enjoy an evening."
"It was awesome," Crenshaw said. "I wish they had concerts
every day."
