Guest Artists Perform at Annual Jazz Festival

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Photo by Eric Bell

Soloing - Earl J. Hesse performs a solo in "Since I Fell for You" at the Annual Jazz Festival April 1. Hesse performed with Jazz Band I.

   Jazz Band I and II performed with two guest performers, Earl J. Hesse and Brian Rhodes, at their annual Jazz Festival in the Fine Arts Center Auditorium April 1.

   Jazz Band II started the night by performing four songs and three students performed solos. Brian Rhodes performed on the alto saxophone for the last three songs. The three soloists included Spencer Davis on alto saxophone, Anthony Newton on piano and Don Johnson on drums. Lester Pack, assistant professor of bands, music theory and percussion, conducted the band.

   Jazz Band II performed “Open Country” by Mike Tomaro, “Brisa Quinte” by Lester Pack and arranged by Brian Rhodes, “On the Road” by Brian Rhodes and “Boss of Funk” by Brian Rhodes.

   Pack wrote “Brisa Quinte” while in graduate school, and Rhodes arranged it for a big band to play. Rhodes performed the solo.

   Pack said before the band played “Boss of Funk” that the piece took time to learn. Spencer Davis performed the first solo in the piece, playing screaming high notes. The band stopped playing during the song, so Rhodes and Johnson could play alone. Rhodes used several techniques while he played. He growled, screamed a high-pitched note and played multiple scales from the highest note to the lowest note.

   Thomas Dunn, a first-year student from Hope High School, said he liked the musicality, the skill and improvisation in the concert.

   “(The concert) was really good," Dunn said. “I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

   Jazz Band I opened with the second part of the concert loud and proud with “Summertime.” This fast pace swing tune caught the audiences attention and kept it with its fast-paced beat and well-played solos from Martin, Timothy Woods on the soprano saxophone and Rashaad Calaham on the flute.

   “In a Sentimental Mood” opened to Woods playing softly on the tenor sax to create what can only be described as a sentimental feeling. The rest of the band soon joined in as he continued playing and often playing notes high on the register for a tenor. The trumpets used harmony mutes to create an old radio sound at the end before fading out.

   Gary Meggs, director of bands, told the story of how he came to be a saxophone player before the next song. He described how, in 1972, a jazz band came to play at his school and he was influenced by an alto saxophone player in the band. He then introduced Hesse, his old teacher and mentor.

   Hesse started “12 Meter Boogie” with a clarinet solo, he made the clarinet scream, yell, shout and dance while he played a powerful, driven and fast-paced solo. He really got into the song, so much so that he looked like he was dancing. He slid up and down the scale from really high notes to really low notes. The band behind him played louder and faster with every beat and measure until the song came to an abrupt stop and the crowd erupted in applause. The audience gave the first of many standing ovations.

Photo by Eric Bell

Duet - Gary Meggs and Hesse perform an alto saxophone and tenor saxophone solo on "Sweet Georgia Brown." Meggs said Hesse was an old teacher and mentor.

   Next, the band played “Since I Fell for You” with Hesse playing the alto saxophone. When Hesse started to play another part of the solo during the song, he shook his head “no” when Meggs looked at him so he could continue conducting the band. He continued on playing multiple tunes, to the crowds delight, in addition to his solo like “Roll Out the Barrel,” “Moon River” and part of the University of Arkansas-Monticello “Fight Song.”

   Meggs and Hesse played a duet on the next piece, “Sweet Georgia Brown.” Meggs picked up a tenor sax and before joining Hesse said, “This is against my better judgment,” and then he added that the band would have to direct themselves. Hesse added, "they're good at it; they don’t need you."

   The band finished up with “I Be Serious 'bout Dem Blues.” Martin opened the piece on his trumpet using a plunger mute, a mute that looks like a toilet plunger, to create a wah-wah sound and a bluesy feeling. Woods, Blakemore, Terrell and Cody Pierce also performed solos. The crowd gave their final standing ovation with the song.

   Newton described his feelings from the concert.

   “This has been the greatest concert since I’ve started in 2004,” Newton said.

   Jazz Band I performed seven songs, including “Summertime” by George and Ira Gershwin, Dubose and Dorothy Heyward and arranged by Bill Potts; “In a Sentimental Mood” by Duke Ellington and arranged by Mike Tomaro; “The Point of No Return” by Eric Richards; “12 Meter Boogie” by Ed Wilson; “Since I Fell for You” by Buddy Johnson and arranged by Dave Wolpe; “Sweet Georgia Brown” by Count Bassie; and “I Be Serious 'bout Dem Blues” by John Clayton. 

   “I had a great time,” Meggs said. “I love all my band students.” 

Photo by Eric Bell

Playing-  Josh Martin uses a plunger mute at the beginning of "I Be Serious 'bout Dem Blues." The mute added a "wa" effect to Martin's solo.

  Several students from the band performed solos, including Josh Martin on trumpet, Timothy Woods on the soprano and tenor sax, Rashaad Calaham on flute, Kerry Blakemore on trombone, Travis Terrell on piano, Kasey Earl on drums, and Cody Pierce. Hesse performed a clarinet and an alto saxophone solo and played an alto saxophone and tenor saxophone duet with Meggs.

   “I thought it was good,” Meggs said. “I think we could do one notch better.”

    Hesse worked for 15 years as director of Henderson State University’s Collegiate Jazz Band. He recently retired from HSU after 27 years on the faculty. He performed with top jazz recording artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Rich, Doc Severinson, Al Hirt, Maynard Fergson and Harry Connick Jr.

   Hesse studied with world-renowned saxophonist Alfred Gallodora in New York City in the 1940’s. He also studied with saxophonist Eugene Rousseau and Donald Sinta. He has been inducted in the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame and the International Jazz Society recognized Hesse as one of the best jazz clarinet and saxophone performers. He currently performs with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Big Band.

   Rhodes, an Arkansas native, taught instrumental music in an award-winning band program for nine years before moving on to become a Texas band director. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Central Arkansas at Conway, where he received his Bachelor of Music Education Degree and where he studied saxophone with Jackie Lamar. He received his master’s in saxophone performance a McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., where he studied saxophone with Rick Condit and composition with Keith Gates.

   He published many works with Twin Towers Music Publications including accessible concert repertoire, concert marches, solos and ensembles. The Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association recently selected many of his compositions for the ASBOA’ Required Concert Contest Music List.

Have a comment? Please e-mail us.

©The Voice 2008