(Posted April 21, 2015)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Juniata College Jazz Ensemble will swing its way through an eclectic program of tunes ranging from pure pop songs to hard bop classics at its concert at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 29 in Rosenberger Auditorium in the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts

Tickets for the concert are $5 and free for anyone under age 18 or Juniata students with valid and current ID. The director of the Jazz Ensemble is Don Yoder, a lecturer in music at Juniata.

The ensemble will play "Beyond the Sea" a song written by Charles Tremay and made famous by crooner Bobby Darin. The piece "Cliff's Riff," by Shelton Berg, an educator now at the University of Miami, follows.

"Fables of Faubus," written at the height of the civil rights movement by bassist and bandleader Charles Mingus, is about segregationist Arkansas governor Orville Faubus. "Hang in There" is written by Sammy Nestico, a Pittsburgh, Pa. native and a renowned jazz arranger. He is best known for his work with the Count Basie Band.

"Honky Tonk Shuffle," by Larry Neecie, is written to recall several modes of jazz. The band will next approach "I Mean You," by renowned jazz pianist Thelonius Monk. "I Mean You" was recorded at Monk's famous Blue Note sessions.

The ensemble will also play a home-grown number, "It's Blues to Me," by Dan Yoder. In addition to his Juniata duties, Yoder is a professor of music at Penn State University.

"The Jazz Police" by Gordon Goodwin, is a mix of jazz, bop and rock. Goodwin wrote the composition for his Big Phat Band. "Play It Forward," by David Morris, also is a crowd favorite.

"The Swingin' Shepard Blues, by Moe Koffman, a Canadian composer noted for playing multiple instruments. "Swingin' Shepherd Blues," is notable for its flute solo.

Veering off into soul music and rock, the jazz ensemble will also play "What is Hip," by Krupa Castillo and Dave Garibaldi, members of the Oakland, Calif.-based band Tower of Power. "What is Hip" was a Top 100 hit for the band.

The members of the Jazz Ensemble are as follows:

Flute: Alex Debrecht, a senior from Winston-Salem, N.C.

Alto Sax: Carly Hafer, asophomore from Greencastle, Pa., and Kyle Kister, a senior from Somerset, Pa.

Tenor Sax: Kate Bock, a sophomore from Warriors Mark, Pa.

Baritone Sax: Brian Gilbert, 'a senior from Stroudsburg, Pa.

Trombone: Frank Conese, a community member from Huntingdon, Pa.

Trumpet: Axel Jessin, a freshman from Austin, Texas, and Brandon Leckemby, a senior from Somerset, Pa.

Drums: Nikhil Bhatnagar, a senior from Sterling, Va.; Taylor Hohenstein, a sophomore from Charlottesville, Va.; and Dane Sapienza, a freshman from Mcdonald, Pa.

Bass: Alexandra Stoudt, a sophomore from Fleetwood, Pa.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.