Jazz Band to perform with Ellis Marsalis

Paige Wassel

Editor-in-Chief

At the end of the Jazz Band concert in convocation on Nov. 25, Associate Professor of Music Rick Simerly announced that the group would be opening for jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis in a music festival next semester.

The festival, officially called the 12th annual “All That Jazz Weekend,” will be held at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C., from Jan. 30 through Feb. 1. The group will open for Marsalis at 8 p.m. on Friday night and play 30 to 45 minutes of music, Simerly said.

Junior Melissa Ruhl, a saxophonist in the Jazz Band, said that she considered this opportunity to be an “honor.”

“Considering the response we’ve had to our latest concert, I'm really looking forward to opening for such a great jazz legend,” Ruhl said.

Simerly said that the band’s reputation combined with his involvement in this festival over the past several years contributed to the band having this opportunity.

“The bottom line in the music business is who you know,” Simerly said.

Simerly described the audience at this event as more “appreciative” of jazz music, which he said would add to the value of the performance for the students.

“I think it’ll be one of the finest experiences these students could ever encounter,” Simerly said.

In January, the band will probably be utilizing vocalist Loretta Bowers again in their performance of the Gospel Medley and the song “Higher and Higher,” Simerly said. She performed with the band at Milligan at a concert in convocation last April.

Simerly said that this year’s festival should get added attention since two notable jazz musicians will be performing. In addition to Marsalis’ performance on Friday night, musician Lou Rawls is scheduled to perform on Saturday night.

Erik Boggs, a senior music education major with a trumpet emphasis, said that he felt honored to play with the talented students of the jazz band.

“It's the most fun I’ve ever had in an ensemble,” Boggs said. “I know that the expectations at the Ellis Marsellis concert are going to be high. I think that with the work we’ve done so far in our practices and performances, we’re going to be well prepared for that.”

Simerly said that the best way to purchase tickets for the event is to go online to groveparkinn.com. Tickets for individual events cost $32, and the seating is arranged in cabaret style around tables. Simerly said that if individuals from Milligan were interested in sitting together as a group, they should e-mail him and he would look into that possibility.