Soulful jazz rhythms carried onto the sidewalks surrounding Rockwell Hall at SUNY Buffalo State on April 26. Inside the building, foot-tapping and head bobbing synchronized with student performances of traditional and contemporary arrangements. The powerful, and somewhat improvisational show was presented by the campus Music Department and featured the talents of four groups.
Rick Fleming, director of the Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble, kicked off the night by welcoming the audience and introducing the first band. The Lockport High School Jazz Ensemble, directed by Paul Allison, began with a piece titled “Love for Sale.”
When it came time for solo performances, musicians rose from their seats to achieve full visibility and recognition. Some of Lockport High School’s songs were upbeat and even sounded as if the players were snapping along, while others like “Body and Soul” were slowed down and lent a melancholy state of mind.
“It’s been a thrill being here - being here with the Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble,” Allison said.
The Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble performs in concerts twice a semester, but Fleming believes this is the first time a high school band has been involved. Allison contacted Fleming earlier in the semester about doing a collaborative show. Fleming was immediately on board.
“I think it’s always great to get high school kids on campus, in terms of recruitment,” Fleming said.
The next act of the night came from the Buffalo State Vocal Jazz Ensemble, directed by Victoria Furby. Members and director walked out onto stage and began singing, sans introduction. The only instrumental accompaniment came from pianist Robert Hull. Seemingly spontaneous solos erupted in almost every song, with scat sections being prevalent in “I’ve Got You Under My Skin.”
“Those were planned solos. They were written into the score to be improvised solos,” Furby said of the scat.
Vocalists simply walked out of the group, grabbed a microphone and started “doo-dopping” in an acapella-like fashion. Not all of the vocalists can perform scat, but Furby said they are all working on it.
After “I‘ve Got You Under My Skin,” Furby took a moment to recognize the soloists and the founders of the group. Kathryn Allison and Patrick Allison built the ensemble from the ground, and are still involved three years into its existence.
Musicians of the Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble took the stage as the vocalists left. As they sat and waited for their director, a few began to warm up their instruments. Soon almost everybody was playing, and in a cohesive manner. It was almost as if they had begun on their own. But the band immediately went silent as Fleming walked on stage.
Fleming gestured for the band to rise, held for applause, motioned for them to sit and took his spot at the front. They started off loud and strong, much louder than the previous groups. Audience members turned to one another with looks of surprise and grins on their faces. Soloists rose when it was their time to shine, and each was granted applause from their director and the audience.
Vocalists Sarah Tripi, Kathryn Allison, Courtney Woods and Lindsey Holland from the Vocal Jazz Ensemble stepped in to provide lyrics to some Jazz Ensemble songs. Their facial expressions and body movement added a level of passion and personality to each song they performed.
“I really enjoyed when Dr. Fleming had vocalists in the band. It is a very effective way to showcase both sides,” Furby said.
The Buffalo State Jazz Combo was the break between the two Jazz Ensemble performances. The combo consisted of only six people, two saxophonists, one trombonist, one guitarist, one cellist and one drummer. The audience was brought into their world, one where they went with the flow, smiling and swaying and played off one another. Each member had multiple solos, and in “Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise,” the drummer shifted to a different feel by picking up the bongo.
The Jazz Ensemble came back to wrap up the night. “On Green Dolphin Street,” featured Jason Fiedler on saxophone. Fleming said he had Fiedler in mind for the song because “he has quite a grasp on jazz improvisation.” Improvisation and the freeform nature of the night sustained interest up to the very last song, “America, the Beautiful.”
“I think the Buffalo State Music Department is one of the best kept secrets on campus, if not in the Western New York area,” Fleming said.
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