Jazz Café in review
By Ben Marston, Director of Bands
After a two-year hiatus our Radford College Jazz Café returned last Friday, 26 August, with a bang! Featuring all four of the Radford jazz groups, a special guest ensemble of Radford teaching staff and a final piece from our Little Big Band and Big Bands combined, the evening had high energy performances and a relaxed vibe. A special thanks to all of those involved in putting the event together and all the musicians involved.
Celia Lindsay, Communications Officer
It was great to be back in the PAC enjoying a Jazz Café experience. The Radford music program is extensive, and one of its special features is that there are “specialist” events, such as Jazz Café, Radford Rocks, and this week’s Evening of Fine Music.
As well as being a performance opportunity, Jazz Café has a teaching element. The students take part in workshops with the guest performers, who help them develop their understanding of improvisation and working with other performers on an ad hoc basis.
The guest performers at this year’s Jazz Café were a staff quartet comprising:
- Ben Marston on trumpet – Director of Bands
- Joe Taylor on saxophone – leads Little Big Band and teaches Beginner Instrumental Program and saxophone
- Olivia Faletoese on bass guitar – Director of Ensembles
- Hugh Magri-Bull on drums – drum teacher and assists with percussion ensembles.
Their expertise and their enjoyment in making music were evident to everyone present, as they worked their way through some great jazz numbers from the past up to the present. The impromptu staff quartet certainly demonstrated to the students, through their performance, how a great result can be achieved even at short notice when you have a strong connection with the music and your instrument, and maintain plenty of eye contact with your ensemble members!
