Jazz ShowcaseEssay Preview: Jazz ShowcaseReport this essayJazz ShowcaseThe concert I attended was the Jazz Showcase in Rudder Theatre on Monday June21, 2004 at 7:30 p.m.SurroundingsRudder Theatre is a large venue for this Jazz Showcase. There are five sections with fifteen rows deep in each section. The theatre is decorated modestly with solid colors and nothing too spectacular or eye catching. The chairs were covered in a yellowish fabric. The initial backdrop behind the stage was a white backdrop with red and blue lighting. This backdrop would change colors throughout the concert. Located at the doors were ushers with programs detailing the Texas Music Festival. The seats inside were not assigned but on a first come first serve basis. Seated in the very front and centered to the audience were the performers. The stage was set up with five chairs lined up three rows back. Each row was more elevated than the previous. The piano was at the far left, the guitar and bass were next to the piano, and the drums were in the back. The first row of chairs included the saxophone players, the second row were the trombone players, and the trumpet players were in the third and last row.
AudienceThe audience, for the most part, seemed to be made up of college students attending for the same reasons as myself. However, there were some audience members who are part of older age groups in the audience. They were there only seeking a good performance and a great time. These older age group audience members were located mostly in the center section of the theatre seated in the first few rows. The dress was more casual among the students but dressier for the older people. Some people were in jeans and a T-shirt, including myself, while some wore nice clothes. The audience rewarded each soloist with a warm ovation of applause after their turn was finished. This led me to believe the audience enjoyed the performance and was very respectable to the performers.
PerformersI counted nineteen total performers with occasionally two others and a vocalist. Each performer was dressed in black pants and a black shirt except one who showed up late. He was wearing blue jeans and a sports coat and he definitely stood out from all the others. The performers related very well with the audience. Each acknowledged the audience after applauses and there was a narrator between pieces. There was a lot of humor among the performers and they seemed to enjoy playing with each other. You could tell they had played together many times before this concert. In relation to their instruments, the performers played them very eloquently, especially during the solos.
The MusicWay Out Basie: This was the opening piece the performers immediately began playingon they came on stage. It was a very nice piece and a great selection to start theconcert.A Widows Tale: It began with just the piano and a trumpet playing a solo in thebackground. Eventually the other instruments joined in.Its Me: The stage and background changed to red from the stage lights. The melodyseemed fasterpace and upbeat. This was a very energetic piece.88Basie Street: This piece was very laid back and slower. It gave me an easy feeling.The tone was softer and the piece started with just the rhythm section playing(guitar, piano, bass and drums). After a guitar solo, others followed in playing.ORyan: Im not sure if this was the correct name for the piece but its what I thought Iheard. This piece was composed by a member of the performers, Aaron Lington.He played saxophone
E.O.: The lyrics were written by David H.K. The opening of the song was written on the tape played directly by the performer. After a chorus, they went into a chorus with a drum kick. During the chorus, the lyrics were not sung. The music was created from a tape with lyrics written on it. E.O.: This piece was composed by David Johnson. David Johnson is a jazz musician who started in the band as a student. He played saxophone(guitar, piano) on a guitar in their band at Bodega. In 1971 he was given the part of songwriter for the show.I.T.: This was a good piece and very good for the performance. It was composed by J.D. R. Johnson. The lyrics were written by David “Sylvia” Johnson.It was a long piece. E.O: It was a very good piece. It was one that really needed to be sung. It is very simple. The music was written in French by a French music musician named E.O. Johnson. It was very laid back and slow.E.O. Johnson gave it a little more weight as songs.E.O.: Not many words could express this quality of sound. E.O. Johnson did a little more singing.But, we don’t have to hear anything. E.O.: This piece was a piece of music written in French by a French musician named E.O. Johnson. It was written by Charles L. Johnson.. he played a good trumpet on a pianoforte. It is not very similar to the other French pieces that were composed on this piece of music.E.O.: This piece came with the music. The lyrics were written by a French musician named E.O. Johnson.E.O.: This piece was written in French by a French musician called Elie C. Johnson. And he said he had performed an orchestra during the show.I do not know what it was like to perform as a young musician in those old days. We are now so young that I do not know. E.O.: Not many people in the world knew about this piece of music. In this country nobody knows there is this old music in this music.E.O.: To tell an interesting story about this song, if you can, go read more information on E.O. Johnson’s work here