The vibrant, soulful, and toe-tapping sound of jazz rang through Hinton Hall on March 2 as MTSU’s Jazz Department hosted the first Jazz Combos concert of the semester.
The School of Music’s Jazz Combos feature several smaller jazz ensembles focused on different arrangements and experimenting with original works.
The ensembles were led by faculty members Jamey Simmons, Miles Damaso, Jack Aylor and Desmond Ng – each group with its own program and arrangement.
The Simmons Combo, directed by professor Jamey Simmons, was the first group to perform, setting the mood for the rest of the evening.
“I try to pick music that I think is at their level. I actually wanted [to do] the tunes they brought in,” Simmons said.
Genres shifted from classic jazz to Bossa nova throughout the concert. Between roaring trumpet solos and groovy bass monologues, the combos flourished with technical and musical skill.
Ethan Assad, who played bass in the Ng Combo, entertained the audience with his expressive solos, noting his own exaggerated facial expressions.
“I end up making a lot of faces because I’m just concentrating on what I’m doing,” Assad said.
Assad’s instrumental talent was evident through his confidence and playing.
“A lot of it is in my fingers, but then a lot of it is also in my head – so I’m trying to get out what I’m playing in my head,” he said. “I’ll throw in some patterns that I’m comfortable with, and then I’ll try something new. It can be risky.”
Compositional talent was also seen during the concert in a piece called “To Tom,” a tribute written by student Trace Crabtree to Bossa nova legend Tom Jobim.
“Any Bossa [nova] tune you’ve heard was probably written by him,” said Crabtree. “All the harmonic stuff I did was inspired by him. He’s been a big inspiration [to me.]”
Writing a piece of music for a performance came with challenges, Crabtree said. Sometimes a composer has to consider their players while composing.
“This is the first one [chart] that I’ve actually written, and it’s the first one that’s been successful,” Crabtree said.
“Sometimes, depending on the combo, you have to write for the player, too. If someone has a strength, you write for that strength.”
Crabtree will be performing more of his original music at future jazz events.
Jazz is known for its emotional and improvisational lines. Every performer on stage played at least one solo during the concert, each with their own flair and personality.
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