(gentle thoughtful music) (audience applauding) - I really like Stan Kenton's band only because just the sheer amount of talent that came through his ensemble.

And he opened the doors for a lot of future musicians, feature composers, arrangers.

A lot of folks that came through his band went off and had prominent careers.

And so the next tune that we're gonna do is actually by his very saxophone is Willie Maiden.

And this was a really fun tune that's actually gonna feature our trombone section.

I have a thing for trombone in jazz.

It just sounds really hip when you have a hip trombone section, like the one behind me to execute this next piece.

And this is the piece by Willie Maiden entitled "A Little Minor Booze."

(upbeat jazzy music) (upbeat jazzy music) (bright jazzy music) (bright jazzy music) (bright jazzy music) (smooth jazzy music) (dramatic jazzy music) (smooth jazzy music) (quiet smooth jazzy music) (upbeat jazzy music) (dramatic jazzy music) (audience applauding) I don't know about the rest of you all, but I'm enjoying myself.

Are you all enjoying yourselves?

(audience applauding) (audience cheering) Okay, I'm gonna talk to the folks at home.

I hope you all are enjoying yourselves.

But I'm over here swinging the hammer.

Good old time, this Sunday.

Great job, man.

Cool.

So let's keep it movin', sort of slow thing down.

That's where real (indistinct).

You all want to keep it going.

- Yeah.

- All right.

All right, the band wants to keep it going.

So we're gonna kick it up a notch.

This is another, oh, yes.

Bill Holman.

Now Bill Holman is one of my favorite arrangers that comes from the Stan Kenton Orchestra because majority of our library consists of a lot of Bill Holman tunes.

And a lot of the charts that he arranged was actually for the Stan Kenton Orchestra.

So this next one is one of these famous pieces that they would perform on a regular basis.

And this is entitled "King Fish."

All right.

Yeah, band, you make me feel good, yeah.

All right.

One, two, one, two, take it.

(dramatic music) (smooth jazzy music) (dramatic jazzy music) (bright jazzy music) (dramatic bluesy music) (bright jazzy music) (dramatic jazzy music) (audience applauding) So my soloists can stand please?

My soloists can you please stand.

Round of applause for my soloists.

(audience applauding) Yes, yes, yes.

Big Dog, you all right?

So now what we're going to is slow things down.

Now this next piece that you see in your program, one of my favorite jazz singers, Frank Sinatra, used to sing this song regularly with the Count Basie Orchestra.

And if anybody's interested Live At The Sands Hotel is the record that I'm referring to, Count Basie featuring, the Count Basie overture featuring Frank Sinatra.

And this piece, "Where or When," "Where are When" in is probably one of the most iconic arrangements I've ever heard of this team.

Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart coming straight out of the (indistinct) era one of the greatest, a few of the greatest composers that came from that era.

And this piece particularly will feature our saxophone section as well as some counterparts with our trombone section.

So here is "Where or When."

(smooth jazzy music) (sweet smooth music) (gentle jazzy music) (gentle jazzy music) (upbeat jazzy music) (upbeat jazzy music) (audience applauding) Can my saxophone section please stand.

Please stand, I want to acknowledge my saxophones here.

Good job, you all.

Also, my trombone section.

Can you all take a stand, please.

Can you all take a stand.

Please acknowledge our trombone section as well.

Don't worry, I didn't forget about my trumpet and I love you guys too.

Okay, so how many of you grew up watching, "The Wizard Of Oz"?

Anybody in here seen "The Wizard of Oz"?

Of course, you have.

Who hasn't seen "The Wizard of Oz"?

Hopefully folks at home, I hope you have watched this movie as well.

And there's a famous song that everybody knows "Over the Rainbow."

Now this is probably the most recorded song in jazz history.

All jazz musicians have probably recorded this song at some point.

It's a beautiful melody.

It's a beautiful piece.

But today I figured why not feature our great trombone player here, Mr. Logan, to bring out that beautiful melody with the accompaniment of the ensemble here.

So, this is Harold Arlen, "Over the Rainbow."

Hope you all enjoy.

Feel good?

Two, three.

(deep dramatic music) (smooth jazzy music) (smooth jazzy music) (light smooth jazzy music) (smooth jazzy music) (gentle yearning music) (smooth jazzy music) (bright music) (gentle thoughtful music) (audience applauding) Mr. Logan, yes.

Beautiful, beautiful.

Very nice.

Thank you, guys, thank you.

So, everyone, we have reached the final point of our concert for today.

I need to give some shout outs really quickly.

First and foremost I would like to thank our prestigious Dr. Gregor, Dr. Bernakie for all of his wonderful mentorship.

And for allowing our ensemble to do what we do best.

Also have to acknowledge our collogue and director of bands, Dr. Yanis in the audience.

Good to see you, Dr. Yanis.

(audience applauding) Miss Basie, also great to see you as well.

And to our lovely audience members here, thank you all for attending here today.

Can we give them a round of applause.

(audience applauding) Do you know how awesome it is to play for people?

Very quick, though.

Everybody on the stage experienced this last fall.

And we all at home, you all know this, we're dealing with a pandemic right now.

Everywhere, on college campuses at least in music schools, we've all had to adapt and figure out how are we supposed to obtain our normalcy in our band night?

And so last fall in September, last September, it was the first time in five years of me teaching here that I had to play to a crowdless room.

And we literally played for a wall for 45 minutes straight.

So when I tell you all, we are super grateful that all of you are here listening to us, 'cause it makes the experience so much more better when there's an audience to perform.

Am I lying, band?

- No.

- No.

- Yeah, so they're very grateful.

So we want to thank you all for taking the time to come out this afternoon.

And everyone at home who's watching, thank you all very much for screaming and watching with us from at the comfortness of your bedroom.

So without further ado, everyone, we're gonna get to the good part of the concert.

This is our last piece of today, and this is a wonderful piece, that's gonna pretty much feature our entire brass session.

You guys are ready, right?

They're super excited.

Trust me, you're gonna hear it in the first note.

This is Ernesto Lecuona, "Malaguena."

Thank you, guys, for coming.

One, two.

(dramatic music) (quiet tense music) (quiet mysterious music) (dramatic music) (quiet mysterious music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dark mysterious music) (dark dramatic music) (mysterious music) (bright jazzy music) (dramatic music) (bright jazzy music) (smooth jazzy music) (dramatic music) (smooth jazzy music) (bright jazzy music) (dramatic music) (bright music) (audience applauding) Thank you, band and FCGU Jazz Ensemble.

Yes!

Yes!

(audience applauding) (audience cheering) I don't want to stop playing.

Guys, you got it.

Thank you all for coming this afternoon.

Really, really appreciate it.

For those of you who are watching at home, we greatly appreciate you taking this time, 45 minutes to spend your Sunday afternoon to watch our concert.

We thank you very much.

Everybody enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Have a good one.

(gentle music)