CLARK TERRY STILL HAS THAT SWING AND SHOWS IT AT SEMO PERFORMANCE (CONCERT REVIEW)

Clark Terry is 77 now and doesn't even try to push out the big notes and screaming glissandos most young turks of the trumpet rely on. But Terry always preferred a mellower sound anyway, and he still has the fine articulation that was his trademark through stints with Basie, Ellington and Doc Severinsen.

Terry performed along with the Jim Widner Big Band Tuesday night before an appreciative audience of about 700 at Academic Auditorium.

The originator of the "Mumbles" character on "The Tonight Show," Terry still has fun when he's playing music. An example was "Cold Tater Stomp," in which he played trumpet with his left hand and fluegelhorn with the right.

"Mumbles," a lyrically unintelligible blues romp, drew loud laughter. He also sang "Squeeze Me But Please Don't Tease Me," another crowd pleaser.

But flashes of the instrumental brilliance that made Terry famous as one of the last of the great big-band soloists also came through. His jam with two alto saxes on "The Zinger" had Terry firing away.

On their own, the 17-piece Widner band showed why their two CDs have drawn critical raves. Bassist Widner is not one to withhold superlatives when describing his bandmates, but in most cases it's deserved.

Particularly outstanding were alto saxophonist Kim Park and pianist Reggie Thomas.

The Kansas City-based Park showed off a dreamy tone and took the audience on a tour of the instrument's tonal range on "The Days of Wine and Roses."

Thomas of Edwardsville, Ill., played some monk-like chord changes in the intro to "Yours is My Heart Alone" and then charged home atop the band's driving arrangement.

Tenor man Paul DeMarinis of St. Louis played subtly but masterfully on "Blues at Drury," and Hollywood, Calif., alto Kim Richmond put a silky touch on the sophisticated swing of "You Don't Know What Love Is." Richmond arranged many of the band's numbers.

Barry Bernhardt, director of bands at Southeast, sometimes plays with the Widner band and sat in on a few numbers. Though they regroup only about twice a year for tours, the band was tight.

Many, like Widner, are alumni of Stan Kenton's band. In thanking Bernhardt, Southeast Missouri State University president Dr. Dale Nitzschke and the many others who made the evening possible, Widner remembered to acknowledge the late tenor saxophonist for training half his band.