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The Oberlin Jazz Ensemble and Oberlin Jazz
Septet have released a CD featuring student and
faculty performances of original compositions, and
arrangements for big band and small ensemble. The
recording was primarily an educational endeavor for
the students in Oberlin's Jazz Studies program.
"I think it's important for every aspiring
performer to have the experience of recording in a
professional studio during the undergraduate
years," said Wendell Logan, chair of the jazz
studies department. "When you have the microphone
in front of you, knowing that what you are about to
perform will be for posterity, there's a lot of
anxiety involved. We created this recording project
so that our students could gain vital studio
experience."
The students did more than overcome their
anxiety, according to Peter Dominguez, associate
professor of jazz studies and co-director of the
Oberlin Jazz Septet. "I receive CDs from jazz
programs all over the country every year - schools
like Western Michigan and North Texas State who
have graduate students playing in their ensembles -
and our undergraduate students match any of them,"
said Dominguez.
Plans for this recording project began a year
ago when Logan put it on the table in a faculty
meeting. The jazz faculty requested tapes of
original compositions or arrangements from small
ensembles, and after reviewing several submitted
tapes, Dominguez and the jazz faculty chose five
ensembles and the Oberlin Jazz Septet - a select
group of faculty nominated musicians - for the
recording project.
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On May 5, 1998, the faculty and students
traveled to the SUMA recording studios in
Painesville, Ohio, and after several hours and
repeated takes, came away with about an hour and
twenty minutes of music on digital audio tape. The
Oberlin Jazz Septet mixed several tunes at SUMA in
July, then Dominguez, Logan and others in the jazz
faculty chose the most polished performances for
the CD.
"The Oberlin Jazz Septet gave the best
performances at the studio," said Dominguez who
codirects the septet with Neal Creque, teacher of
jazz piano. "Performing in a studio is more
difficult and complex than a live performance,
especially for jazz musicians. So much of jazz is
improvised, but within that improvisation, the
intonation, rhythm and creativity in solo passages
has to be precise and fresh every time. After three
takes of the same piece, the creative edge can
sometimes wear down. Despite all that, our students
pulled off a very professional recording."
Dominguez had a difficult time pinpointing a
favorite piece on the album. "I really love Wendell
Logan's "Afro-Blue;" the ensemble is flawless and
his piece has a great mood. The Muhal Richard
Abrams' piece "Fanfare III" also feels so
connected. The OJS's performance of "Cascade" is
just too short; the rhythm gets going and feels so
good and then it's over. I also love the darkness
of Neal Creque's "Serendipity," and senior Kevin
Louis's beautiful ballad "For Sundown and Poppie."
All the pieces have different vibes and fill
different needs, but there is a lot of good playing
all around."
The cover art on the album was created by Ellen
Butters, a fifth-year double-degree student from
Bethesda, Md. Logan asked Butters to design the
album cover because he was familiar with her work,
and because he wanted this to be completely a
student project. The recording was funded largely
by Oberlin alumnus Robert Lafeld '60.
"I hope we can do more recording projects like
this in the future," said Logan. "Everyone who
participated in it will be able to look back
proudly on the experience."
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