October 19, 2007

Purdue Jazz Band to explore Gershwin's 'jazz soul'

The band will perform at 8 p.m. at Stewart Center's Loeb Playhouse. Admission is free.

Jazz Band director M.T. "Mo" Trout said the concert honors Gershwin's genius on the 70th anniversary of his death from a brain tumor, just a few weeks shy of his 39th birthday.

"In the canon of music known as the 'Great American Songbook,' certain composers stand above all the rest – Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington and Johnny Mercer," Trout said. "Gershwin, however, stands out from all these outstanding mid-20th century musicians because he was so prolific, not only as a writer of the American musical and Tin Pan Alley songs, but also as a serious composer for the symphony orchestra and even for opera."

At the same time, "jazz music influenced virtually every piece of music Gershwin composed, and in turn, his music has become an irresistible magnet for jazz musicians to perform and use as creative vehicles of their own," Trout said.

The Oct. 26 concert will showcase some of Gershwin's most-loved melodies and compositions, he said, both in their most recognizable forms and used as vehicles for more creative self-expression through jazz improvisation.

The Purdue Jazz Band will perform a version of "Fascinating Rhythm" created for the Count Basie band by Sammy Nestico and a straight-ahead version of a jazz musician standard, "I've Got Rhythm."

"This particular tune has become such a favorite of jazz musicians that they have composed countless jazz tunes using the particular set of chord changes found in this song, known simply as 'Rhythm' changes," Trout said. "The same chord progression will be featured in a wild arrangement of a jazz standard written by saxophone legend Sonny Rollins, 'Oleo.'"

Other Gershwin tunes on tap for the concert include "S'Wonderful," "I've Got a Crush on You," "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "The Man I Love."

Music from Gershwin's operatic composition "Porgy and Bess" will dominate the concert's second half. Bill Potts, a composer and arranger who put together a band in 1959 to record "The Jazz Soul of Porgy and Bess," created the "Porgy and Bess" jazz arrangements featured in the concert.

Purdue Bands and Orchestra is presenting the Jazz Band concert. For information about other upcoming concerts, visit https://www.purdue.edu/bands

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Kathy Matter, Purdue Bands public relations director, (765) 496-6785, kcmatter@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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