Voices of Jazz
by Gary Wood, Music Director
"Voices of Jazz" was performed on March 15 & 16, 2008

It’s time to swing! As a part of our 25^th Anniversary Year, Cantemus has reached beyond our regular December & May concerts to bring you four separate performing events. The time’s flown by, from our “Epitaph” concert in November to our Holiday family sings in December, and now to our own bit of madness in March, “Voice of Jazz: Cantemus Swings!” You’ll hear some terrific tunes from the Great American Songbook and elsewhere, and, when performed a certain way, they can all fit into that category called Jazz.

You’ll hear wonderful ballads like “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley” … a toe-tappin’ “Jeepers Creepers” … a rafter-lifting arrangement of “St. Louis Blues” … a Latin funk take on “That Old Black Magic” … and lots more. Including a whole instrumental set by our terrific guest artists; more about them later. But, first:

What really makes these great American songs “Jazz”? What is Jazz?

First of all, jazz is definitely something, and that something is America’s art music, one of the great singular cultural contributions wrought by the American spirit. I won’t attempt to shrink the broadly beautiful origins of jazz with a few clever sentences; it doesn’t do justice to the music and the people who made it and make it. Jazz is definitely an American original, honed by brilliant innovators from origins near and far. It is fiercely individualistic and yet all about the group. It demands an awareness of intellect and technique, yet it can sound so accessible and easy.

Jazz is also improvisational, that is, made up on the spot. It really isn’t jazz unless there are things happening that didn’t happen the last time you heard it. When a singer or instrumentalist creates something new from the raw materials presented in the original tune – the harmonic changes, the melodic direction, the rhythmic impetus – that is true jazz.

We are incredibly fortunate to be accompanied in this concert by a super-talented sextet, six area jazz musicians who honor us with their gifted support while we Cantemus singers venture into uncharted jazz waters for the first time in quite a while. They have the jazz talents to bring us that “on the spot” improvisation, and you are in for a special treat.

So please join us on our maiden voyage into the world of jazz. You’ll hear a lot of familiar tunes, great tunes, some that may even have a special place in your life experiences. This is a very special concert – an anniversary year, a trip into an American genre, and, best of all, music that is on stage and live, in person, for you, our special audience. Come along with us as we sing and swing, all at the same time. We’ll all feel better and brighter by the end of the evening!