The Jazz Ensemble I rocked the Pottle Music Building Auditorium with “A-List Jazz,” a concert that presented soulful jazz numbers on October 28th. Led by music professor Glen Hemberger, the group performed 11 stimulating songs, and included classics such as Frank Sinatra’s “Anything Goes,” sung by Durand Jones and Etta James’ “At Last” by Iuliia Alyeksyeyeva.
The ensemble started off its night of performances by immediately playing the selection “Almost Like Being In Love,” which has been sung in the past by performers such as Judy Garland, Dean Martin and Nat King Cole. The musical rhythm of the song had audience members tapping their feet along with the music.
For the third selection, the ensemble performed Sinatra’s hit “Anything Goes.” Jones, last year’s winner of the Southeastern Star competition, sang alongside the accompanying instruments. Following, Alyeksyeyeva sung her version of Etta James’ “At Last.” Both vocalists received outstanding applause.
“Oh, I love to do this,” said Alyeksyeyeva. “I do this from, you know, with all my heart. That’s what I want to do. I love to sing, sing for people. If people enjoy it, it means I did a good job.”
Audience members were surprised to find they enjoyed listening to the various jazz numbers performed by the musicians.
“It was really good,” said junior accounting major Dwayne Smith. “I didn’t expect it to be so, well, cool. Those guys did good.”
According to Alyeksyeyeva, the excitement from the audiences’ standing ovation was very uplifting, and she was impressed by her fellow musicians.
“Everybody was amazing,” said Alyeksyeyeva. “Every single person on that stage did an amazing job. It was really good.”
The next performances hosted by the department of fine and performing arts will be Jazz Ensemble II, which will perform in Pottle Music Building Auditorium on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Also performing will be the Southeastern Wind Symphony performs in Pottle on Dec 3 at 7:15 p.m. Admission to both shows is free to students and the general public.