Changes
On Tap For Wednesday Band
10/15/2008
There are some changes in store
for the Wednesday Jazz Ensemble. From now on the group will be known as
the
Repertory Jazz Ensemble and will focus its attention on major
works from the first 50 years of jazz.
“Two things triggered this move,” explained director Tom Lizotte.
“First, jazz classics have been an important
part of the band’s repertoire from its first days. Second, the research
I have been doing as a result of the recent
Donors Choose grant we received recently convinced me that detailed study of
this literature could really benefit
our students.
“The springboard for much of this was our decision to program Count Basie’s
‘Moten Swing’ this year. In
researching the piece, I discovered its rich history and the history of the area
and time in which the piece was
composed – Prohibition-era Kansas City. Taking things one step further seemed
a natural thing,” Lizotte said.
“Moten Swing” was originally recorded in 1932 by the Benny Moten band.
Basie was the pianist in that band.
When Basie took over the Moten band after the leader’s unfortunate death,
“Moten Swing” stayed in the
repertoire.
The story behind the piece is interesting. The Moten band was playing a
gig in Philadelphia. The band was a
hit, and the audience was clamoring for more. The band was running out of
music, so they implored arranger
Eddie Durham for some more music.
Durham ran downstairs and started writing. Basie stopped by and said
he’s like to play on the standard “You’re
Driving Me Crazy.” Then, like Basie would, he left. Durham was left to
incorporate “You’re Driving” into his
new composition. “Moten Swing,” which is still played by the Basie band
today, became an important jazz standard.
Benny Moten and Basie often get credit for the piece, but it was Durham’s work
The Repertory Jazz Ensemble is dedicating its season to Durham, today
little-known, but in his time a giant.
Durham invented electric guitar, played good jazz guitar and trombone and wrote
for many bands in the 1930s and
‘40s. You would know his work through his blockbuster arrangement of
“In the Mood” for Glenn Miller.
The Repertory Jazz Ensemble is also performing “Oclupaca,” a tune composed
by Duke Ellington for his “Latin
American Suite” in 1968. Last year this band concentrated on
Ellington’s works.
The work of tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins will be explored through his
landmark “Sonnymoon for Two.”
“This direction is part of our tradition. I wanted to give the students
something to make the band unique;
something no one else in this area is getting,” Lizotte explained.
Alfred Publishing recently published an
arrangement of a jazz classic commissioned several years ago from CEHS director
Terry White, “Oh, Lady
Be Good.”
This band was established seven years ago and has been ranked in the top three
in the state six of those seven years.