Lamar University’s Jazz Ensemble, directed by Wayne Dyess, will perform a free concert for the public on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the University Theatre. The concert will feature the music department’s artist-in-residence, Houston trumpet player Dennis Dotson, as well as Lamar University president Jimmy Simmons.
Lamar University has two jazz bands. Both will play at the concert, with Dennis Dotson’s jazz combo performing in between. The combo consists of Dotson on trumpet and flugelhorn, David Craig on bass, Jimmy Simmons on piano and Billy McQueen on drums.
Dotson, a specialist in jazz trumpet, has played professionally for 40 years and is very active in jazz and commercial circles throughout the state of Texas. He has performed with the Houston Symphony Orchestra and has been a sideman on numerous jazz recordings.
He is jazz trumpet instructor at the University of Houston and is also on the faculty at Houston Community College, where he teaches private lessons in trumpet and improvisation.
Like the recent Lamarissimo! bands concert, the jazz concert will honor the memory of music department faculty member Raul Ornelas, who died in September. Ornelas scheduled the Dennis Dotson artist-in-residence clinics and was a tremendous presence on the local jazz scene for more than 30 years. “Ordinarily, when we invited an artist such as Dennis Dotson to play for our students, Raul would have been on bass with President Simmons playing piano,” says Dyess. “That's how it was for as long as I can remember.”
Audience members at the concert can expect to hear a wide variety of selections, covering all styles and time periods. “There should be something here for just about everybody who has any interest in this genre,” says Dyess. “The listener will take a musical journey with us. There will be straight-ahead jazz, Latin, swing, funk, and a couple of original selections written expressly for this idiom.”
Jazz Band B will play first, with selections including “A Day in the Life of a Fool,” arranged by Jerry Nowak; “Sidewinder,” by Lee Morgan, arranged by Mark Taylor; “On Broadway,” arranged by Nowak, featuring Lamar vocalist Brandon Rhodes, a student from Channelview; “Chica de Espana,” by Nowak; and “Cold Duck Time,” arranged by Mark Taylor.
Jazz Band A takes the stage with “Tribute,” by Bob Mintzer; “Love Walked In,” arranged by Willie Maiden; “Manteca,” arranged by Mike Tomaro; “Devil and the Deep Blue Sea,” arranged by Lennie Niehaus; and “Back Row Politics,” by Gordon Goodwin.
Jazz performances at Lamar University have a long and distinguished history. “It is my understanding that the late Pete Wiley, director of bands emeritus, started a dance band when he first came to Lamar in the late 1940s,” says Dyess. Past directors of the Jazz Ensemble, in addition to Pete Wiley, were Richard Burkhart in the 1960s and Jimmy Simmons in the 1970s. Dyess has led the band since 1979.
Members of the Lamar Jazz bands include: Jarvis Bennett of Lufkin; Dina Bordelon, Nederland; Paul Broussard, Orange; Matt Byars, Lumberton; Nicholas Cantu, Orange; Kerry Coleman, Beaumont; Andrew Guidry, Orange; Victor Johnson, Gainesville: Michelle Melancon, Nederland; Michael Moore, Lumberton; Canice Njoku, Houston; Larry Oliver, Port Arthur; Kara Phillips, Vidor; Joshua Safar, Vidor; Monica Schmidt, Nederland; Kirby Tanner, Nederland; Rob White, Beaumont; Austin Wolfe, Houston; Cameron Wolfe, Houston; and Carl Woodall, Vidor.
For more information, please contact Wayne Dyess at (409) 880-8146, or visit the College of Fine Arts and Communication online at http://dept.lamar.edu/cofac.
