Paige Kibbler

MUS-E 481
Jazz Repertoire Assignment

Middle School Jazz Band Concert:

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2.
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4.
5.

Minor MysteryEllen Rowe

Street of Dreams..arr. Stan Kenton
September Swing..Bob Curnow
Basies Barbeque.Gary Slavo
Northwest Riff...Bob Curnow

Program Notes
Minor Mystery is a blues chart written by triple threat jazz pianist, composer/arranger,
and teacher Ellen Rowe. Currently, she is a professor of Jazz Piano at the University of
Michigan. The beginning piano feature and trumpet melody generate excitement and capture
mystery. Sit back, and enjoy our journey through Minor Mystery!
Stan Kenton is considered a giant in the jazz world. He began playing piano as a young
child, and toured with jazz bands while he was still in high school. While he played in many
bands throughout his career, his natural inclination was towards band leading, and he hoped to
lead a concert orchestra. He helped to pioneer the modern jazz movement, and wrote and
arranged tons of music for his bands. He arranged Street of Dreams in 1992.
Keeping in the vein of Stan Kenton, September Swing was arranged by a trombonist from
one of his big bands, Bob Curnow. Curnow began playing in the Stan Kenton Orchestra the day
after he graduated from college. This is where he began to arrange music for the orchestra.
While he did leave the group for a period of time, Kenton brought him back 6 years after he left
as chief arranger, conductor, and the producer of his new album. See if you can hear the
influence Kenton had on Curnow in this piece!
In the Count Basie Tradition, Basies Barbeque is a wonderful, melodic, sensitive, swing
ballad. Count Basie began as a pianist improvising accompaniment for silent films. His work
quickly expanded and he became the band leader of several of the most prominent big bands in
all of jazz. Under his direction, many jazz performers were sparked and became famous. This
piece was arranged by Gary Slavo, a freelance jazz trumpeter.
Northwest Riff is another piece that was written by Bob Curnow. After leaving the Stan
Kenton Orchestra he did graduate work at Michigan State University, where he earned two
master's degrees and completed his doctoral course work. He served as Professor of Instrumental
Music and director of the Jazz Lab bands at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland,
Ohio. Today, Curnow continues to teach various private students, as well as serving as a guest
artist, adjudicator, conductor, or clinician at colleges and jazz festivals throughout the world

Middle School Jazz Festival Performance:

1. Alexanders Ragtime Band.. Irving Berlin/arr.Peter Blair
2. Beach Bossa...Roy Phillipe
3. Northwest Riff...Bob Curnow
High School Jazz Band Concert:
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2.
3.
4.
5.

Aha!...................................................................................................................Bob Mintzer
Memphis Blues..W.C. Handy/arr. Duke Ellington
Jazz Bug..arr. Bob Curnow
Duke Ellingtons Sound of Love.........Charles Mingus/arr. Jack Walrath
Attitude Dance...Stephen Kupka and Emilio Castillo/arr. Mark Taylor

Program Notes
Written by Bob Minzter, Aha! contains elements of Brazilian samba and funk, which
contribute to its unique groove. Known as a triple threat musician, Mintzer is equally active as a
jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, and big band leader based in Los Angeles, California.
"Music chose me at a very early age" says Mintzer, "I was completely taken by the 12 tones,
whether hearing music played on the radio, television, recordings, or live concertsI was not
only struck by the emotional outpouring of great musical performance, but also found myself
completely consumed with how the music fit together in all its glorious detail. I could spend
hours sitting at a piano, trying to replicate the songs I would hear others play.
Memphis Blues was described by its creator, W.C. Handy, as a southern rag. W.C.
Handy is known as the Father of Blues, and throughout his career he performed on trumpet,
piano, and vocals, and composed the music that would make him one of the great American
songwriters. He was most known for incorporating folk music into his songs. In the rag style,
the piece was upbeat and moving even though it is based on the Blues. In this arrangement,
Duke Ellington has slowed down the piece and mellowed it out, so that it becomes a sultry
ballad.
Jazz Bug was written by Bob Curnow. After leaving the Stan Kenton Orchestra he did
graduate work at Michigan State University, where he earned two master's degrees and
completed his doctoral course work. He served as Professor of Instrumental Music and director
of the Jazz Lab bands at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Today, Curnow
continues to teach various private students, as well as serving as a guest artist, adjudicator,
conductor, or clinician at colleges and jazz festivals throughout the world
Conrary to the Title, Duke Ellingtons Sound of Love was not written by Duke Ellington.
It was actually written by Charles Mingus, who was a jazz double bassist as well as a composer
and band leader. Mingus definitely plays to the bass in this piece, as there is an extended bass
solo as well as several bass features. Mingus's compositions retain the hot and soulful feel of
hard bop and draw heavily from black gospel music while sometimes drawing on elements of
Third Stream, free jazz, and classical music. He cites Duke Ellington as a great influence.

Attitude Dance is a hard rock/funk piece. The piece was written by Stephen Kupka and
Emilio Castillo for the 70s big band Tower of Power. This piece began their album Soul with a
Capital S. While the song was written with a singer and lyrics on the melody, in this
arrangement that part has been switched to the saxophones. Enjoy this upbeat, kickin groove!
High School Jazz Festival Performance:
1. Too Close for Comfort....arr. Bill Holman
2. Duke Ellingtons Sound of Love.........Charles Mingus/arr. Jack Walrath
3. New Suit for Zoot................................................................................................Les Hooper