Jazz Ensembles to Perform Nov. 23

by Richard Veit

Baylor University's Jazz Ensembles I and II will present a joint concert at 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23, in Jones Concert Hall of the Glennis McCrary Music Building. The performance will be under the direction of Benjamin Irom, lecturer in jazz studies.
The 18-member Jazz Ensemble II will open the program with "Up Front" by Lennie Niehaus and Geoff Keezer's arrangement of "Work Song" by Nat Adderley. Rich Matteson's "Goin' Easy," the Gordon Goodwin arrangement of David Benoit's "São Paulo," and "Fat Mamma's Revenge" by Pete Lengyel will follow.
After intermission, Jazz Ensemble I will take the stage for a half-dozen pieces, two of them written by the group's director. Jazz Ensemble I will open and close its portion of the program with music by Thad Jones, "Back Bone" and "Greetings and Salutations." Bob Mintzer's "Weird Blues" and Pete Lengyel's "Thoughts of You" will follow.
Irom joined the Baylor music faculty in August. A native of California, Irom holds a master's degree from UCLA (1995) and a bachelor's degree from the University of California at Santa Cruz (1992). He came to Baylor from the University of Texas at Austin, where he is a candidate for the doctor of musical arts degree in composition and jazz studies.
Many of Irom's jazz compositions have been performed in California and Texas, and he is a featured composer on three compact disc recordings that have been released within the past two years. Jazz Ensemble I will play his "You're Soaking In It" and "Who?"
The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Baylor School of Music at 710-3991.