JARO Comes Out Swingin'

For all you jazz lovers out there, I’ve got a special review for you. The 2008-09 ESU Jazz Synergy Series continued last weekend, with JARO (Jazz Artists Repertory Orchestra) kicking off the fourth concert in the collection of events. For their performance on Sunday, they presented “A Salute to Big Band Jazz.”
JARO is a group chock full of talented local musicians, like young saxophonist Jay Rattman, pianist Wolfgang Knittel, and ESU professors Patrick Dorian on trumpet and Jim Daniels on bass trombone and tuba.
The group played numerous jazz standards, with “Do Nothin’ Til You Hear From Me,” “TNT” (no, not the ACDC version), “Mr. Barrelhouse,” and “Pickin’ the Cabbage” all in the set list. The latter was my favorite tune of the show because it started with a strong opening drum solo to grab the audience’s attention. Then it launched into full speed swinging with a high pitched clarinet on the melody and a fast trumpet solo, played by Jan Betz.
To view pictures from JARO's performance, visit the illustrious Ear Plugs Web Album.
If you feel like you've missed out on a great show, you have! But good news --- there's still one concert left in the ESU Jazz Synergy Series. It's going to take place on Monday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg. Even better news --- the show will feature jazz legend Phil Woods on saxophone.
How I love some good sax...