Saint Mary’s jazz groups to perform April 16
The 18-piece Saint Mary’s University Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo I will perform their final concert of the semester at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 16, in Page Theatre. The featured soloist will be trumpeter Dr. Joe Morgan of Rochester. Both groups are directed by professor of music, Dr. John Paulson.
Some of the selections include a new arrangement of the “007” James Bond theme by recent graduate and vibraphonist Jeremy Johnston; an arrangement of “Secret Love” featuring the trombone section; the Wayne Shorter tune “One by One” arranged by Mark Taylor; and a new arrangement of Gershwin’s “My Ship” by Dave Rivello, featuring baritone saxophonist Benjamin Scott. Tenor saxophonist Ross Nixon of Winona Senior High School will play the solo part on “Midnight Voyage” by Michael Brecker, and alto saxophonist Vanessa Grams will be featured on the Grammy-winning Quincy Jones selection “Quintessence.”
The Jazz Ensemble has been recording their first CD “Staycation,” which they started recording during February break. Music technology students from Saint Mary’s are recording under the supervision of engineer and SMU adjunct instructor Brett Huus, along with input from Dr. Paulson. They hope to release the CD at Family Weekend next September.
Guest musician Dr. Morgan has been performing, composing and teaching professionally for nearly 10 years. While pursuing a degree in trumpet performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, he had the opportunity to study with Edmund Cord, former principal trumpet of the Israel Philharmonic and Utah Symphony Orchestras, as well as do jazz improvisation with Pat Harbison and renowned jazz pedagogue David Baker. While at IU, Dr. Morgan led the acclaimed brass quintet 58 Feet of Tubing and organized a re-recording and performance of Columbia Records’ Grammy award-winning 1968 LP The Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli by brass faculty and students, including two members of the original personnel.
Since then, he has performed with a variety of orchestral and big band ensembles, including the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Columbus Symphony, and Bloomington Pops, as well as the New Millennium Jazz Orchestra, and has shared the stage with several notable jazz musicians, including Mark Colby, Tom “Bones” Malone, Bob Mintzer, Mark Van Cleave and Ernie Watts. He plays on a Bach Stradivarius trumpet and a Yamaha flugelhorn and has been published in national music and medical professional journals.
Dr. Morgan also pursued his medical education at the Indiana University School of Medicine, finishing coursework in 2009. He is currently a clinical research fellow in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at the Mayo Clinic.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors, and are available at the SMU Box Office, Ext. 1715 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays or online at www.pagetheatre.org.
