Jazz Big Bands Swinging to the Music of Europe for USU Concert

Utah State University Big Band Jazz perform an annual fall concert Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Caine Performance Hall on USU’s Logan campus. The performance features two big bands — the Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz Ensemble. Jon Gudmundson, director of jazz studies at USU, directs the orchestra, while Greg Wheeler, professor and assistant director of jazz studies, directs the ensemble.

“We are very excited to be featuring two of our music faculty on this concert, namely bass professor Josh Skinner and keyboard and vocal professor Kate Skinner,” said Wheeler. “Josh will be a featured soloist on bassist John Clayton’s swinging big band composition Soupbone. Kate will sing and play an improvised piano solo over Jimmy Webb’s beautiful composition, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.”

Skinner grew up studying classical piano and listening to R&B and hip hop before delving into jazz at the age of 17. She received her master of music in jazz studies from the University of Northern Colorado where she also directed the Jazz Lab Band IV and the Northern Colorado Voices. Skinner’s playing and compositions have received many honors and accolades over the years, including a “Downbeat Student Music Award” for her singing and a Jazz Education Network honor for her composition Movin.

Skinner is a bassist who is fluent in both jazz and classical idioms. He frequently performs with the Kate Skinner Trio, Greeley Philharmonic, Fort Collins Symphony, Idaho Falls Symphony and many other regional jazz and classical ensembles. Skinner currently co-leads a funk-pop fusion group called Promotional Code that recently released its debut album. He holds a bachelor of music from USU and a master of music from the University of Idaho.

Rounding out the USU Jazz Orchestra’s set will be a pair of original compositions by Ben Cottrell, the leader of England’s hottest big band, Beats & Pieces, said Wheeler.

“Jazz devotees who attended the ‘Europa’ CD release concert last month will remember Cottrell’s stunning arrangement of Radiohead’s Everything in its Right Place,” said Wheeler. “For this concert, the USU Jazz Orchestra will perform a couple of Cottrell’s own compositions, including the moody and mysterious Broken and the driving, bang-your-head Bake.”

“The power of this music will speak to everyone and people will enjoy the wide variety of jazz styles,” said Wheeler. “The students are great and will give an excellent concert.”

Tickets for the Jazz Big Bands performance are $10 adults, $8 seniors and youth, $5 USU faculty and staff and free for USU students with ID. For more information or tickets, visit the CCA Box Office in room L101 of the Chase Fine Arts Center on USU’s campus, call 435-797-8022 or see the Caine College’s Production Services website).

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Writer: Whitney Schulte, 435-797-9203, whitney.schulte@usu.edu

Contact: Denise Albiston, 435-797-1500, denise.albiston@usu.edu