The Griffon News

During the early hours of April 2, the Western jazz ensemble loaded a bus with equipment and headed south, to the town of Addison, Tex. to perform at the North Texas Jazz Festival.

This is a prestigious honor for The Missouri Western Jazz Ensemble.

The jazz ensemble held their send-off concert April 1 in Potter Hall Theatre.

The concert showcased the set list of the music they would be performing at the Festival in Texas directed by director of Jazz studies here at Western, Bob Long.

Western Jazz Ensemble is just one of the 16 university and community college big bands selected around the nation to participate at the festival.

the bands are selected by audition only.

“We sent in an audition CD along with an application form last fall,” Long said.

Being accepted to perform at this festival is a big achievement for the ensemble.

Second chair tenor sax player and Western student David Mitchell knows it.

“I feel honored, and I know we all have worked very hard for it,” Mitchell said.

Long is largely responsible for the success of the ensemble working non-stop with determination and desire to see them succeed.

Western student Beaux Lux plays baritone sax and expresses his admiration for Long.

“Bob has made all of this possible; you can see the deep compassion in his eyes, and the drive he has is absolutely wonderful,” Lux said. “He will push the best out of anyone.”

Western student Tim Thomas plays the flugelhorn, and during their performance at the send-off concert Thomas led the band with his stand up performance in the musical, “Theme without a Movie.” Goosebumps were rising around the theatre in this performance that had more of a blues-type feel to it.

Long said they will be performing a variety of musical tunes from latin to swing and some classical.

It was easy to see the diversity in the tune, “Naima,” where Western student Mario Asti was featured on soprano sax and shredded some serious melody in the land of scales.
“Mario has been a huge addition bringing his talent and experience to the band,” Mitchell said.
In the next tune, “Urgency,” Asti picked up the tenor sax and took a magical stroll in the heart of jazz with Western student Andy West and Thomas on the trumpet.
The festival in Texas is considered to be non-competitive, but they will however, choose one of the big bands for an outstanding performance.
At the festival, the jazz ensemble will also have the opportunity to participate in student jam sessions, school group performances and clinics, master clinics and a headliner Q & A session with the David Binney Quartet.
Westerns Jazz ensemble will be returning from Texas around April 5.
The jazz ensemble will also be holding a spring jazz concert at 7:30 p.m. April 13 in Potter Hall Theatre as a follow up. The lab band will also perform at this concert.
Western’s ensemble also performed at the Greater St. Louis Jazz festival last year, which is a collegiate division.
If you missed the send-off concert, be sure not to miss the spring jazz concert April 13.
This will be your chance to witness the quality talent of the musicians here at Western under the direction of Long, who has a passion for music and the success of his students.