Andrew Collins
Photo Editor
Jazz is tough to get right. You can easily alienate the entire population of a concert hall or club with a wave of your hand and a-1, a-2, a-1, 2, 3, 4. But last Friday, Ensemble Director Jeff Lindberg and The College of Wooster Jazz Ensemble definitely got it right. Lindberg and the ensemble put on an impressive show in McGaw Chapel. The concert started rather abruptly, and the first few moments seemed confused, but it eventually became clear that we were in for a good time.
The rhythm section laid down a solid foundation for Billy Strayhorn’s hit, “Take the ‘A’ Train,” supporting a very adept piano solo by Micah Motenko ’13. When the band came in, however, energy and expression seemed generally lacking. Thankfully this flatness was short-lived, and it soon gave way to a more subtle vigor in Neal Hefti’s “Fauncy Meeting You.” The audience was treated to the abilities of a fantastic saxophone section, which was able to smoothly support the ensemble with both chordant backgrounds and a stellar solo from Jack Eyre ’15. Also played was Hefti’s ballad, “Li’l Darlin’,” with a wonderfully cohesive rhythm section intro, calm tones from the brass and an emotive muted trumpet solo from Etienne Massicotte ’12.
This slow ballad was followed by my favorite part of the concert: John LaBarbera’s “Dancing Men.” The opening, full of wonderfully bombastic noise, gave way first to a rhythmically perfect chorus, then to a rollicking drum solo from Darius Dixson ’13, and finally to a bizarre but oddly fitting bagpipe solo by Andrew Donlon ’14. The song exited with the brass, who, despite having undoubtedly blown out their chops by this point, managed to deliver the final chorus with an orchestral virtuosity.
At this point, the ensemble took a break and was relieved by the Tuesday Jazz Combo, who began their short set with Herbie Hancock’s “Canteloupe Island.” Their rendition arranged for rhythm section and three saxophones, was effective, featuring solos from almost everyone in the ensemble. Tom Garling, the guest of the evening, made his first appearance on their second song, Freddie Hubbard’s “Red Clay,” and continued to accompany the ensemble for Charlie Parker’s “Anthropology.” While Garling’s playing gave the audience a preview of what was to come, the combo’s music became repetitive as each song incorporated solos from almost every performer. Eyre’s soprano sax solo in “Anthropology” was admittedly fitting for Charlie Parker, but the rhythm section was unable to back it up effectively as the tempo fluctuated and phrasing ideas seemed to differ between players.
The remainder of the concert displayed the talents of the meekly humorous Garling, a fantastic trombonist distinguished by his role in music education and his touring history with the likes of Buddy Rich and others. He and the Jazz Ensemble put on a delightful second half, featuring two of Garling’s own compositions, as well as more classics like Strayhorn’s “Chelsea Bridge” and Maynard Ferguson’s “Fireshaker,” which closed the program.
All of these songs featured solos by Garling, who demonstrated a virtuostic ability to adapt and respond to a vast range of musical surroundings with both sensitivity and sense of humor. The ensemble backed him up well, and in some cases gave him a run for his money with its own soloists. At times, the drums were a bit heavy and overpowering, and the ensemble did not always have the range of volume or energy to match Garling’s spectacular shifts in expression. In general, though, the ensemble’s groove and rhythm was so effective that Lindberg spent more time dancing than he did directing the ensemble. The group’s abilities were impressive, and I look forward to their next concert with anticipation.