Eastman jazz students applied their musical talents toward a worthy cause on Sept. 23 by turning the annual Eastman Jazz Showcase into a benefit to support the Jazz Foundation of America and the musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina. After all, New Orleans is recognized as the birthplace of jazz.

Eight small workshops and three large ensembles performed for a nearly full Kilbourn Hall, treating audience members to a variety of compositions.

“[They] give everyone a little taste of Eastman jazz,” Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media Department chair Harold Danko said.

The concert is planned for early on during the academic year to feature everyone in the jazz department and introduce them to the public.

It was during a regular department meeting when some graduate students approached the department with the idea of doing a benefit concert. Danko quickly remembered one of his former students, Herb Storfer, who, along with other collegues, had formed the Jazz Foundation of America in 1989, which specifically helps jazz musicians in need of support.

Danko mentioned the Jazz Foundation of America and suggested working with it for the benefit. The foundation operates the Jazz Musicians’ Emergency Fund, which provides medical, financial and career assistance to struggling jazz musicians.

“It was kind of a no-brainer,” Danko said of the decision to donate the concert’s benefits to the fund.

With a suggested donation of $5, the department was able to raise $1,154 for the fund, surpassing their $1,000 goal.

“I was very happy with the community response,” graduate student Shirantha Beddage said.

Beddage has had previous experience with performing and organizing benefit concerts for the Sri Lankan victims of the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. Beddage’s family is from Sri Lanka and he had many friends and family members that were affected by the natural disaster.

At the time, he took a quartet of Eastman students to his hometown of North Bay, Ontario, to play a concert for the tsunami relief efforts. Beddage has also performed in several other concerts to raise similar funds.

River Campus Jazz Ensemble director Eric Schmitz and Ryan Cotler are two other graduate students who have taken a special interest in having more benefit concerts around the Rochester area to benefit jazz musicians in New Orleans.

“We [the River Campus music department] are planning a number of benefit performances [but] dates are still pending,” Schmitz said.

He is also concerned with the damage to historical monuments of jazz. “We don’t really have an idea of the extent of the damage,” he said of the conditions of places like Preservation Hall.

Friday’s concert began with a familiar jazz tune, “This Here,” featuring a bass solo whispering hip phrases with a certain philosophical quality. Each student displayed their talents with their respective solos.

One of the most notable entrances of the evening was of the baritone sax in “Isosceles.” With its sheer size and range, it seemed to come marching into the concert letting everyone know what it came to do – to play loudly.

Many knees in the audience bounced rhythmically unable to resist tapping their feet to the music. At times, it seemed wrong to simply remain seated in the small seats. Even the New Jazz Ensemble’s pianist rebelled a bit during “Front Runner,” nearly flying out of his bench at times as his hands raced across the keys.

“Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?” was a particularly special performance, considering the circumstances of the concert. It was more nostalgic than melancholic and featured the talents of the graduate students workshop.

The evening left the 400-plus crowd with a vibrant sensation amidst their sympathetic regards for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Figueredo can be reached at ofigueredo@campustimes.org



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