Big Band brings down the house

The Tufts University Big Band, under the direction of Joel LaRue Smith, gave an exceptional performance this past Thursday evening in Goddard Chapel. The recently restored chapel provided an acoustically (and visually) gorgeous performance hall, which contributed to the overall success of the concert. The audience was packed right to the back row, and included the presence of President Bacow and his family. Joining the Tufts Big Band was the Boston University Big Band, and special guest, funk trombonist Fred Wesley, who is best known for playing in the James Brown Band.

The Tufts Band took the stage first and Smith introduced the band and informed the audience about their recent trip to Cuba over spring break, which he said had an influence on the band's style that, would be apparent to anyone who had heard the band before. Including guest artist Fred Wesley, a total of sixteen musicians filled out the big band's sound.

After the introductions, the group dived right into an energetic and powerful set filled with Latin jazz numbers that included "Manteca" (by Dizzy Gillespie, Chano Pozo), "Rhythms of Our World" (by Arturo Sandoval) and a Tito Puentes medley called "King of the Timbales." Throughout the set, the whole band and the conductor were very present in the music and performed very emotionally.

Lead trumpet Scott Aruda opened "It Don't Mean a Thing" with a stunning solo, and when compounded with junior Meg Bliss-Moreau's intense scat, had the audience eager for more. Many other skilled solos filled the evening. Senior Pete Shungu gave a memorable solo on trumpet during the opening of "Rhythms of Our World," backed by pianist junior James Clark. According to the discography, the band combines "tango from Argentina, Bembe (which is Afro-Cuban), Samba from Brazil, Bomba from Puerto Rico and Songo, one of the most recent Cuban Rhythms."

It was not noted in the program that Aruda is a local professional musician who has recorded on several albums, including ones with Michelle Willson and the Evil Gal Festival Orchestra, Russ Gershon and the Either Orchestra, and Ed?? Tancredi's Band. Several other musicians in the groups were also professionals; however, it is a valuable experience for the students to play with these musicians.

This interaction of professional and student players goes along with LaRue Smith's attitude towards the band's musical diversity. "We're really committed to playing music from all sorts of places," he said.

After a brief intermission, the Boston University Big Band, led by Josh Nelson, took to the stage. Wesley joined them for their first tune, the Stevie Wonder hit "Sir Duke." A series of tight drum solos wowed the crowd in their concluding piece, "Latin Import," by Jon Fedchok.

Both bands will be reuniting in two weeks at Boston University for another intercollegiate concert and Nelson was particularly excited at the prospect of this and future intercollegiate musical endeavors.

This show, ladies and gentleman, was hot and the Tufts Big Band received a well-earned standing ovation at the conclusion of their performance.