Nashville Jazz Workshop News

January 28, 2007

Halfbrass kicks off new series at the Frist! (NEW: watch video!)

> Donna McElroy headlines next program at Downtown Library February 25

The new Jazz on the Move series opened with hand clapping and foot stomping Sunday, January 28 at the Frist Center Auditorium, as the group Halfbrass gave a demonstration and performance of New Orleans-style jazz, showing some of the distinctive elements of the music and how it forms the basis of much of today's American music, from bebop to funk.

The series is organized by the Nashville Jazz Workshop, Nashville Public Library, and Frist Center for the Visual Arts, and was born when members of the three organizations got together last year to talk about how to bring more jazz to the community. Both the Library and the Frist Center place an emphasis on learning, so a series that would help audiences learn about the history of jazz seemed just the ticket. A grant proposal was written, and funding for the series was received from the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                Photos by Louise Barnes 

 

Top, Left: Halfbrass; Right: Neil talks about the Sousaphone. Bottom, Left: the crowd at the Frist; Right: marching out.

Halfbrass is a group of young jazz artist/educators, a brass band playing traditional New Orleans music as well as more modern fare (a la the Dirty Dozen Brass Band). Its members Oscar Utterstrom (trombone), Kevin Rimmer (trumpet), Chris West (saxophone), Neil Konuchi (Sousaphone), and Justin Amaral (drums). The group got the audience dancing in their seats by marching in to a tradional New Orleans "second line" rhythm. Each member talked about some of the history of New Orleans jazz and how the style developed and evolved to the present day. Each member also demonstrated some element of the music, and of their own particular instruments. For example, Rimmer talked about the New Orleans "second line" rhythms and how they differ from more conventional rhythms. Amaral demonstrated how the beat evolved from a very simple 4-beat pattern to a highly sycopated style that evolved into modern bebop and funk.

The group's performance ranged from traditional to modern, and they closed by marching out in New Orleans style. The audience of over 200 filled the Frist Auditorium, and left smiling and clapping.

The series continues with a February 23 program at the Downtown Library on "Women in Jazz" featuring vocalist and Berklee professor Donna McElroy with the Lori Mechem Trio. It's back to the Frist March 18 for Roger Spencer, Lori Mechem, and friends in a program spotlighting "The Big Band Era." The series closes April 22 at the Library with Dann Sherrill leading a program on "Latin Jazz."