The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24, in Ramsey Theatre and the Peterson Fine Arts patio.
The Wayne State College Jazz Ensembles and Mariachi Negro y Oro will perform Friday, April 24, on campus. The 7:30 p.m. performance begins with the Jazz Ensembles in Ramsey Theatre, with the Mariachi ensemble following on the Peterson Fine Arts patio. This event is free and open to the public.
The performance will also be livestreamed. The concert program will be available on the event page, which can be accessed from the Upcoming Livestream Events section on the Watch Live page.
Repertoire for the Jazz Combo stretches from high energy to sentimental. “Mr. PC” by John Coltrane features a hard-driving jazz rhythm. “Blue Bossa” by Kenny Dorham delivers a blues, bossa-nova style. The recognizable melody of “Misty” by Erroll Garner is rich and romantic, while “Yesterday,” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, creates a nostalgic, melancholy mood.
The Jazz Ensemble features spirited and relaxed swing-style tempos. “Infernal Jamnation” by Jeff Lopez is intense with “Amazing Grace,” arranged Dave Rivello, offering a funk-rock feel to a traditional gospel tune. “Yardbird Suite” by Charlie Parker bestows the bebop style, and the “Everlasting” by Gordon Goodwin conveys a slow, emotional style. The set concludes with the sizzling samba groove “Tiger of San Pedro” by John LaBarbera, a big band masterpiece.
The Jazz Ensembles are conducted by Michael Genslinger, assistant professor of music and assistant director of bands at Wayne State.
Mariachi repertoire includes traditional Mexican music created with a mix of instruments including trumpet, violin, vihuela, guitar, and guitarrón. The ensemble is directed by Dr. Josh Calkin, director of bands at Wayne State.
For more information, contact the Wayne State Department of Music at 402-375-7359.