JazzNIC Concert

More than 600 middle and high school students from schools in North Idaho and eastern Washington will participate in jazz clinics Feb. 1-3 at North Idaho College during the annual JazzNIC festival, culminating in a special concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center. The Feb. 2 concert will feature the NIC Jazz Ensemble directed by NIC Instructor Terry Jones and special guests Dan Bukvich, Gary Gemberling and Al Gemberling. It is free and open to the public.

The area school band members will perform for special guest clinicians – some of the Northwest’s finest musicians – during the three-day event. The public is welcome to watch performances by the student groups, which will perform from 9 a.m. to about 5 p.m. Feb. 1 through Feb. 3 in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center.

“Our three featured performers are also our clinicians and become great examples of all the techniques they encourage the students to do,” Jones said. “JazzNIC is a fantastic experience that connects today’s students with America’s music – jazz.”

The concert will include Joe Turner’s “Roll ‘em Pete” sung by Gary Gemberling, who will also be featured on Rob McConnell’s “A Portrait of Jennie” on trumpet. Twin brother Al Gemberling will be featured on a samba version of “Body and Soul” and the lush ballad “But Beautiful.” All three of the guests will be featured on Frank Mantooth’s arrangement of “A Nightingale Sang in Barkley Square” and Gordon Goodwin’s rocking arrangement of “Sing, Sing, Sing” titled “Sing, Sang, Sung.”

The NIC Jazz Ensemble will reach into the books of some of the most well-known big bands of the past for selections. From Buddy Rich’s book, they will play “Big Swing Face.” From the Count Basie book, comes “Hey Jealous Lover.” From Stan Kenton’s book, comes a classic Kenton ballad “Walkin’ by the River.” And from Woody Herman’s book, a clever Bill Holman arrangement of “After You Have Gone.”

Directed by Terry Jones, the NIC 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 Duke Ellington and Basie though the innovations of Kenton to the contemporary works of Pat Metheny and Radiohead -- nothing is off limits for this group.

Information: (208) 769-3276

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