Director Dr. Glen J. Hemberger and the Jazz Ensemble I performed a number of charts while featuring a collage of Southeastern musicians through duo instrumentals and solos at the Columbia Theatre on Tuesday, March 29, 2011.

Students, parents and fellow musicians were among the audience to support the ensemble as they finished the night with a lifting program.

“I thought it was great,” said Max McClintock, member of the Jazz Ensemble II. “The best thing about Jazz I is they’re so accurate, so clean; they’re right on.”

Others found the performance took them a step further. B.B. Ouder said it keeps her alive and explained music is a universal language, one we can all understand.

“You know that little voice we get in our life,” said Ouder. “It just makes you happy, on top of the world. I mean music is like a language.”

The program allowed students who wanted more experience, particularly in the solo area, to highlight the night while the remaining musicians tuned in for background harmony.

“We try to feature as many students as we can who enjoy playing solos,” said Hemberger. “Not everybody likes to solo, so those that want to get some more experience doing that; we give them the opportunity.”  

At the top of the charts for the event was “Malaguena” by Ernesto Lecuona. With this song the crowd was introduced to Zakkary Garner, a sophomore music education major, playing the solo on his guitar.  

Following “Malaguena” was “Chase the Clouds Away,” a chart compromising melody and unity through use of a flute solo, performed by Dana Hudson. To add a little heat to the program, the ensemble propelled from the calming and surreal notes of “Chase the Clouds Away,” to a rush of low rhythm in “Apple Strudel & Cheese” with Justin Pardue’s trombone solo.

Hemberger announced Pardue as a key feature of the night. A senior music performance major from Walker, Pardue aims to graduate in the fall 2011. Pardue would also see a second solo performance in the next chart, “Sing, Sing, Sing” by Louis Prima.

Hemberger addressed the audience and wanted to make them aware that Prima was a local, born in New Orleans in 1910 and had a homestead on the Northshore. Hemberger joking about Prima’s land said, “I don’t know what he would think about it being a Home Depot now.”

Up next was “Sing, Sing, Sing,” a chart that jumped and intensified individual instrumental groups. Among these groups, Aaron Turnipseed, a music education major stood alone, playing a solo on the clarinet.

David Will, a senior music education major, took Hemberger’s place in the piece titled, “88 Basie Street,” in order to get some hands-on experience directing. “Birdland” was played as Hemberger made his way back to the podium to conduct for Angelisa Allen, the only vocal performance of the night, who sang “Somewhere” by Leonard Bernstein.

Allen differentiated the night with vocals and helped allure the audience in the number, “The First Circle,” through rhythmic clapping with fellow ensemble members at the introduction. Vitalie Gumeniuc, a junior music education major, would solo for this piece on his alto sax.

The last performance of the night, “The Chicken” composed nine to 10 different solos and included duo instrumentals. Two musicians played on the same piano while both drummers rivaled one another playing solos back-to-back.

Up next for jazz enthusiasts will be the Jazz Ensemble II performance in the Pottle Music Building Auditorium on Friday, April 15, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the upcoming events for the Bill Evans Jazz Festival.