Jazz Band I Accepts Invitation to Perform at All-State Convention

Douglas Boultinghouse
Arts & Entertainment Editor

Photo by Latoya Shelton

Music Man - Senior Anthony Newton practices his music for an upcoming performance. The Jazz Band I will perfrom in Hot Springs Feb. 19.

   The University of Arkansas- Monticello Jazz Band I will head to Hot Springs for a performance at the Arkansas All-State Convention Thursday, Feb. 19.  

   The band lined up a 30-minute set after being asked to perform.

   “We are the only college jazz band in the state invited to do this,” Gary Meggs, director of Bands, said.

   The pieces rounding out the set include: “Stolen Memories” by Oliver Nelson, “Anthropology” by Charlie Parker and Desi Gillespie, “Fabulous” by Brian Rhodes and “Brisa Quinte,” written by UAM’s Assistant Professor of Music Les Pack.

   “It’s extremely exciting,” Pack said about the band performing his piece.

   He said he wrote the bossa nova “Brisa Quinte,” a Brazilian style of music, as a homework assignment at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. Brian Rhodes helped arrange the piece as a big band performance, which will be the arrangement Jazz Band I performs.

   Meggs will lead the following students in the performance: Spencer Davis, Tim Woods, Dusty Smith, Michael Sanders, Tori Covington, Amanda Kinney, Josh Martin, David Washchalk, Kerry Blakemore, Cody Pierce, Jacob Kuhn, Janey Kolen, Dylan Miles, Phillip House, Ryan Hadaway, Caleb Kessler and Anthony Newton.

   The performance will begin at 9 a.m. at the Hot Springs Convention Center in Hot Springs.

   For more information, contact Gary Meggs or Les Pack.

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