(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - "Jazz Night", including rock, Latin, ballad and blues styles played by the Windjammers, Soundwaves and Kayhi Jazz Band will take place on Thursday, April 25th at 7:00 p.m. at Ketchikan High School. Donations for the 14th Annual Jerry Galley Memorial Scholarship Fund will be accepted at the door.

The scholarship fund, established in the Spring 2000, was established to honor the late Jerry Galley, a young man who was well loved in the Ketchikan community. The annual concert raises money to help Ketchikan High School seniors pursue the arts in college.

"The Opener" by Ken Harris will start Kayhi's set, directed by Deidra Nuss. "Splanky", from the critically acclaimed album "The Atomic Mr. Basie", is arranged by Dave Barduhn. Following will be "Soft Lights" by Dean Sorenson. Mr. Sorenson is a trombonist and clinician, and is co- author of the "Standard of Excellence Jazz Ensemble Method" series. Next is Alan Baylock's arrangement of the rhythm and blues tune "One Mint Julep". Ray Charles' instrumental version in 1961 helped to popularize this song.

"A Bridge to Somewhere"  (Must we ask if this is a "swinging bridge?") by Jon Phelps will begin the Soundwaves portion of the concert, directed by Roy McPherson.. This swing piece will include improvised solos by Amber Junker (trombone), Connor McCormick (trumpet) and Wyatt Anderson (tenor sax).   Chesley Lovell will be featured on trumpet in the beautiful ballad, "My Foolish Heart" by Victor Young and arranged by Mark Taylor. This song was introduced in 1949 in a movie of the same name. "Blues Mode" is a medium swing tune by Rich Sigler, jazz trumpeter and director of the USAF Airmen of Note. He also created the Jazz Font used in the music notation software, "Finale". Neal Hefti's "Flight of the Foo Birds" penned for the great "Count Basie Band" will feature mallet players Gerik Sherrill, Rudy Pankow, Lily Vaughn and Duncan Menzies on marimba and vibes. Katie Powers (alto sax) and Lora Starr (trumpet) are also soloists. George Shutack's "Sometimes Dreams Come True" will feature pianist Kaileigh Krosse, whom you may have heard recently on violin at the Ketchikan Community Chorus performance. "Lucretia MacEvil", of "Blood, Sweat and Tears" fame is an up-tempo, in-your-face, rock tune featuring Kayhi senior, Matthew Johnson on electric guitar.

Greg Kalbaugh (trumpet) and Dave Kiffer (tenor sax) will solo in "Seven Steps to Heaven", opening with the "Windjammers". Composed by jazz pianist, Victor Feldman and jazz trumpeter, Miles Davis, this piece was introduced in 1963 by the Miles Davis Quintet. Rhythm section players, Kim Henrickson (piano) and Karl Richey (guitar) will be solo artists in Erik Applegate's "One July Midnight". Applegate is a bassist, composer and bandleader currently on the faculty of University of Northern Colorado. Bob Curnow's "Spencer is Here!" features Rob Holston on trombone and Dave Kiffer on tenor sax. Curnow wrote this piece in celebration of the birth of his grandson, and his website describes the tune as "... a fun-filled romp". "Spencer" is recorded on Mr. Curnow's "Towednack, Bob Curnow and the SWR Big Band" album. Vocalist, Geralyn Lovell, will be featured in the Gershwin jazz standard "Our Love is Here to Stay" written in 1938 for the movie "The Goldwyn Follies". The trombone section is featured next in Johnny Mandel's "A Time For Love", arranged by American jazz composer and saxophonist, Hank Levy. Levy composed for Stan Kenton and Don Ellis, and was the founder and long-time director of Towson University's jazz program. Ready to put on your dancin' shoes? Bill Whelan's "Riverdance" arranged by Bob Curnow, alternates between 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 12/8, and 4/4 time signatures and requires the saxophone section to double on flute, oboe, clarinet and soprano sax. Dave Kiffer (soprano sax) and Dale Curtis (trumpet) are featured soloists and the rhythm section - Kim Henrickson (piano), Karl Richey (guitar), Nelson Hays (bass) and Kim Kleinschmidt (drums) get quite a workout. "Riverdance" was first performed in 1994, highlighting Irish step-dancing with odd meter accompaniment. Curnow's arrangement was commissioned by the SWR Big Band of Stuttgart, Germany. The Windjammers musicians have requisitioned special eye drops for this piece, stating " . . .the notes go by so fast, we can't blink!"

Windjammers, Soundwaves and the Kayhi Jazz Band will combine into a 47-piece band to perform "Red Beans & Rice" by Doc Severinsen, trumpet player and fomer leader of Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" band. Kayhi senior, Leslie Snodderly will solo on baritone saxophone.  "Blue Flame", will wrap up the concert. This piece was made famous by the "Woody Herman Band", as their closer.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews Editor

SitNews ©2013
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews may be protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper sources.