December 1, 2006
Purdue big band jazz concert to be packed with seasonal standards
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue's three jazz bands will present "Holiday Cheer & All That Jazz" on Dec. 8, and it will be packed with jazzy versions of seasonal standards including "Winter Wonderland," "Sleigh Ride," "Deck the Halls," "The Christmas Song" and "Jingle Bells."The Purdue Jazz Band, American Music Repertory Ensemble and Lab Jazz Band will all be in the spotlight at the 8 p.m. concert in Stewart Center's Loeb Playhouse.
"Tuba Christmas," an annual event where tuba and euphonium players offer low brass versions of favorite holiday tunes, will precede the concert. It begins at 7 p.m. in the lobby of Stewart Center. Both concerts are free and open to the public.
"We've got good seasonal songs that put everyone in the mood for the holidays, offering versions that range from contemporary rock to old-style big band and lots of different vocals," said M.T. "Mo" Trout, director of all three jazz bands. "It's a very appealing family show that also shows off what our students do best."
Given the season, audiences can expect nostalgia in holiday arrangements by big band greats Stan Kenton and Glenn Miller, Trout said. The American Music Repertory Ensemble will perform Miller versions of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Sleigh Ride." The song "Sleigh Ride" contains some of Glenn Miller's signature musical elements with a specific but tongue-in-cheek allusion to another Miller hit, "Pennsylvania 6-5000," he said.
Two different arrangements of "Jingle Bells" will be featured at the concert, one by Miller performed by the Purdue Jazz Band, which incorporates the same techniques the bandleader used in "In the Mood" to build excitement. The American Music Repertory Ensemble will tackle the version of "Jingle Bells," made popular by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters.
"It's a really fun version with lots of scooby-do-do-doing and all that stuff," Trout said.
The Stan Kenton touch will be showcased in two songs from one of the first big-band holiday albums, "A Merry Christmas," dating to the early 1960s.
"All the tunes were incredible, but few other bands programmed them because Kenton used mellophones instead of saxophones," he said. "They've recently been rescored for saxophone so they are more accessible."
Trout said each Kenton arrangement has its own unique flair. In "The Holly and The Ivy," the whole band has to whistle in key.
"'The Twelve Days of Christmas' is a great arrangement with the feeling of a brass choir," he said. "Each day gets a whole different treatment. It also features the talents of our pianist, Zachary Christian." Christian is a senior in the College of Engineering from Huntsville, Ind.
Guitarist Kevin Chin gets the spotlight in "Greensleeves." The arrangement's jazzy in the middle but opens and closes with Chin, a senior in the College of Technology from Wilmette, Ill., playing classical style guitar, Trout said.
The show's other highlights include a Tom Kubis arrangement of "Deck the Halls."
"[It has] got a driving sound to it that reminds me of the Manheim Steamroller approach to holiday music," Trout said. The familiar "O' Christmas Tree" pops up in an unusual arrangement that gives featured parts to string bass and oboe; "Winter Wonderland" spotlights baritone sax and vibes; and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" has a Latin jazz feel to it.
"Holiday Cheer & All That Jazz" is sponsored by Purdue Bands & Orchestra. The department works with Brent's Bench to sponsor "Tuba Christmas." The next jazz event is the annual Purdue Jazz Festival from Jan. 18-21 that will offer headliner concerts, competition and jazz jams. For information, visit online.
Writer: Kathy Matter, Purdue Bands public relations director, (765) 496-6785, kcmatter@purdue.edu
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Purdue University Bands
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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