Jazz ensemble presents summer fun concert

  Tuesday, June 9, 2015 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Summer is the time for getting together with some friends and that’s the idea behind the Pittsburg Kicks Jazz Band, which will present a free concert at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 14, on the PSU Oval.

Bob Kehle, director, said the jazz ensemble is composed of musicians from the area as well as some PSU students who have remained in town for the summer.

“The concept of a kicks band is one where people just get together to present jazz for fun,” Kehle said. “We want the audience to have as much fun listening to our music as we have playing for them.”

Kehle urged concert goers should bring lawn chairs or blankets for their comfort. In case of rain, the concert will take place in McCray Hall.

The program for the performance will be varied, Kehle said, with a little something for every jazz music fan. Music on the program include: “The Git,” written by Bill Holman for the Basie band; “Roger's Hard Driving Groove,” by Roger Myers; “Andalusia,” arranged by John De Martino; “St Thomas,” arranged by the Polish big band leader Fedor Vrtacnik; “Samba Dees Godda Do It,” by Tom Kubis; “Dream of the Return,” by Pat Metheny; “C Jam Blues,” by Duke Ellington and arranged by Tommy Newsom; “Slim Jim,” by Ray Kennedy; “Luck of the Irish,” by Kansas composer Frank Mantooth; “Land of Make Believe,” by Chuck Mangione; and the great Glenn Miller classic, “In The Mood.”

Members of the band include: Alex Wiedemann (St. Louis, Mo) and Lewis Hundley (Uniontown) on alto sax; Sam Ortiz and Jesse Blake (Pittsburg) on tenor sax; Daniel McDill (Independence, Kan.) on baritone; Trumpets Todd Hastings (Pittsburg), Travis Laver (Pleasanton), Trey Wadell (Arma), and Tom Lawlor (Olathe) on trumpets; Gage Rogers, Cooper Neil, Luke Warford, and Forrest Parr (Pittsburg) on trombones; Barbara York (Girard) on piano; Megan McCoy (Pittsburg) on bass; Louis Morgan (Baxter Springs) on drums; and Tyler Jones (Baxter Springs) on guitar.