Small Jazz Ensembles Erratic

Oberlin's answer to The Blue Note hosted the first in a series of small jazz ensemble concerts Thursday night as three student groups played to a meager audience at the Cat. Perhaps jazz fans were still reeling in the wake of Greg Bandy's unique blend of humor, panache and virtuoso percussion from the night before, or perhaps the scant crowd was simply the result of the limited promotion for the concert. The concert itself seemed hastily prepared, with programs only appearing near the end and beginning 15 minutes later, although in fairness the late start has become Cat tradition.

The salsa band La Orquestra de Jose Cuervo performed first, featuring the return of recent grad Burny Pelsmajer (OC '99) and his baritone sax. This was easily the most talented group, with a three-piece percussion section and four highly skilled horn players. Each of their four songs were original compositions by Pelsmajer. The first, "Happy Puppy Dance," started with a medium tempo head and featured a calm but upbeat trumpet solo by Conservatory senior Farnell Newton, pressing the pocket while always remaining inside. The song repeatedly changed its rhythmic feel with horn breaks and shifts in the rhythm section's play, keeping its energy always ahead of its convention. Junior Ian Cronon-Young offered a timid but balanced solo on the alto sax.

A syncopated head led off the next unnamed song, moving gracefully to the horn section trading fours with professional communication and interaction. Sophomre Peter Meredith's piano comping, understated and lively throughout the set, moved like a dance along with the rhythm section, establishing the tone of the song. The next piece, "Schemin'," featured Pelsmajer on his baritone sax in a busy but melodically coherent solo with a consistent rhythmic style. The song intensified with tempo changes and syncopation within the horn section, and peaked with an adventurous though directionless trombone solo by junior Andy Hunter.

"Ham Soup" finished off the group's set, beginning with a flat and conventional head but moving quickly into and energetic melodic pattern by the horn section. The highlight of the song was an aggressive and dexterous improvisation on the congas by senior Matthew Hill.

"Exhortation" next took the stage with a standard quintet of trumpet, tenor saxophone, bass, and drums. The first song, "Tree Toad," written by trumpet player Peter Evans, featuring two solid solos by the horn section. Evans began slowly with a smooth tone and developed a well crafted solo, though it lingered slightly too long near the end. Brian Wesolowski's solo was playful and interacted with the rhythm section inventively. Matt Eliot took a tasteful solo on the bass.

The group next performed "Punjab" by Joe Henderson, with less successful solos then the first piece. Evans solo developed gradually into a triplet-filled crescendo which energized the entire group. Junior Jimmy Alexander's drum solo showed skill but a lack of improvisational expression.

The group's last song, an original piece by Elliot entitled "Oh Really," involved a fast-paced Latin swing with the drums and a piano solo by Andrew Sobel which had flashes of energy but never seemed to go anyway.

"The Unnamed Ensemble" closed the evening with a four-piece group with trumpet, alto saxophone, bass and piano. The absence of drums gave this group a distinct graceful tone that set it apart from the other groups.

The first song, "Beatrice" by Sam Rivers, featured the most memorable solo of the evening, with Peter Evans on trumpet and Ez Weiss on the piano intermingling with conversational amity.

Both horns played with elegant tone. Weiss composed the group's second piece, "Prayer for GP 120," which began out in free time and moved casually into thoughtful solos by Evans and Weiss. The song describes a mood of expectation and imminent disappointment, and its unmetered time is inseparable from this mood.

"On the Fringe" by Elliot finished the set, also beginning out but without the descriptive quality of Weiss' composition. The members began creating a chaotic feel and then slipping into a metered head and solos, though the mood of the entire piece is not clearly defined.

While the other groups displayed their respective abilities both as groups and individuals, and certainly "La Orquestra de Jose Cuervo" has professional talent, "The Unnamed Ensemble" highlighted the evening with its refined yet original tone and group cohesion. The only drawback was the poor layout of the Cat, which could have been prepared better to allow for a larger audience.