University's music department to open jazz series this week

Southeast Missouri State University's Department of Music will open its jazz series with "Jazz: Music of the People" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Bedell Performance Hall at the university's River Campus.

The concert will feature two jazz ensembles, student soloists plus a performance by the Southeast Jazz Combo.

Preconcert music of jazz standards will be performed by the newest ensemble, the Southeast Jazz Combo, which consists of Steven Watkins, saxophone; Matt Flanagan, trombone; Dustin Haigler, piano; and Nick Smentkowski, bass.

The concert will open with the Jazz Lab Band playing in an assortment of styles, from the rock fusion "Brass Machine" made popular by Maynard Ferguson under the title "Scream Machine" to the jazz ballad "Danny Boy" as well as the popular "In the Mood" from the library of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Featured performers in this ensemble will be Coco Bollig, piano; Bill Reed, trombone; Lexi Stacey, saxophone; Tyler Tuschhoff, trumpet; Dustin Haigler, vibes; and Collin Burnham, drum set.

Southeast's Studio Jazz Ensemble has performed at the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival and has received accolades from its tour of schools in the St. Louis area, as well as from local concerts at the River Campus. The ensemble played at the 2015 Elmhurst Jazz Festival in Chicago in February to great acclaim.

In the season-opening concert, the Studio Jazz Ensemble will feature jazz compositions from some of the greats in big-band jazz. Highlighted in this concert will be "Tall Cotton" from the Count Basie library, "Red Clay" of Freddie Hubbard and "When I Fall In Love," penned by Victor Young. New vocalist, senior music theater major India Duff, will sing a couple of jazz standards, and highlighted student soloists will be Josh Whalen, sax; Alex Wright, sax; Matt Flanagan, trombone; Dustin Haigler, piano; Kris Spala, drum set; and Daniel Atwood, guitar.

Tickets are $12 and may be purchased by contacting the River Campus box office in the Cultural Arts Center, 518 S. Fountain St., weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., by calling (573) 651-2265, or by visiting RiverCampusEvents.com.