NIC jazz concert 'Nice Work If You Can Get It' to be held today

The public is invited to "Nice Work If You Can Get It" from the North Idaho College Jazz Ensemble and Cardinal Vocal Jazz at 7:30 p.m. today in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.

The night will begin with Cardinal Vocal Jazz performing "A Case of the Mondays," by Dave Barduhn; "Tuxedo Junction," arranged by Jerry Nowak; "Wings to Fly," by Jeremy Fox; "If I Fell," arranged by Bob Chilcott; "New Day," arranged by Jennifer Barnes; and "Goody, Goody," arranged by Kirk Marcy.

"The Ellington Band and the Basie Band provide us with stylistic templates for approaching traditional big band music and really define what it means to 'swing,'" said NIC Band Director Terry Jones. "For this performance, we are going to explore the music of Count Basie."

When one thinks about the "biggies" in big band music, two names come to mind immediately: Duke Ellington and Count Basie.

In the upcoming concert, the music of Count Basie will be explored. It will open with Quincy Jones's arrangement of "Walk, Don't Run" - a straight-ahead swing tune in the classic Basie style. Four of the selections come from the pen of Benny Carter and are classic "Basie tunes." Two of the pieces are from Carter's "Kansas City Suite."

"Jackson County Jubilee" is a fast, straight-ahead swing tune, featuring solos from several of members of the band.

"We will settle down a bit with Carter's shuffle tune 'Vine Street Rumble,'" Jones said. "Next we are going reach into the collection of classic Basie ballads and play 'The Second Time Around.' Ballads were one of the things that set the Basie book apart from the others. This approach is followed by many of our contemporary big band composers."

The music will return to the Carter/Basie book with "Goin' On," a medium-tempo swing tune which features a lot of call and answer between the saxes and the brass (an ever-present part of big band music). Shuffling up next is Bill Holman's "Tree Frog." Holman wrote pieces for many of the great big bands including Buddy Rich's band, and the Kenton band.

"We will finish our set with another Carter/Basie tune "The Swizzle," and, yes, this tune does. Hopefully it will get you looking forward to the summer," Jones said.

The concert will end with collaboration between the Jazz Ensemble and Cardinal Vocal Jazz - Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry About A Thing," arranged for the New York Voices by Darmon Meader.

Directed by Jones, the North Idaho College Jazz Ensemble is a collection of jazzers from all over the area. They get together once a week to explore the diversity in big band music. From the swing music of Ellington and Basie though the innovations of Kenton to the contemporary works of Metheny and Radiohead, nothing is off-limits for this group.

Under the direction of Max Mendez, Cardinal Vocal Jazz from NIC consists of 11 versatile singers and a rhythm section. This group specializes in close harmony and vocal improvisation. Its repertoire includes music of the Great American Songbook, Latin/Bossa Nova selections, and inventive arrangements of today's popular music.

The concert is free and open to the public.

Information: (208) 769-3424