Charles City music groups ‘Jive’ at annual jazz concert

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

It was a sold out show Tuesday evening, as about 240 people crowded into the Youth Enrichment Center at the Floyd County Fairgrounds to enjoy some fine dining and fine music.

The Charles City music department presented its annual “Jivin’ With Jazz” show, which included a dinner, the concert, and a souvenir glass for $25.

All three vocal jazz ensembles performed: Rhymes with Orange, 2JazzedUp and Here Comes Treble. Both instrumental jazz groups — the Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Band — also performed.

Jivin’ With Jazz has been a tradition at Charles City for almost 20 years, and initially included just instrumental jazz performances. Vocal jazz groups have been added in recent years. The concert is an opportunity for the community to see all the CCHS jazz groups and raise funds for the CCHS music departments.

The instrumental groups were directed by Jake Gassman and the vocal groups were directed by Derek Sturtevant, with a little help from student director Nathan Schultz.

The CCMS Jazz Band performed “Escalator Blues” by Jeff Darrohn, “Reboot” by Vince Grassi and “Avenue Swing” by Mike Collins-Dowden.

The vocal group Here Comes Treble performed “Solid Potato Salad” from the 1944 movie Broadway Rhythm and arranged by Kirby Shaw, “In My Life” by John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles and arranged by Greg Jasperse, and “Blue Skies” by Irving Berlin and arranged by Mark Hayes.

The vocal group 2JazzedUp performed “Cry Me a River” written by Arthur Hamilton in 1953 and arranged by Jay Althouse, “It Had to be You” written by Gus Kahn and Isham Jones and arranged by Greg Gilpin, and “The Girl From Ipanema” written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and arranged by Paris Rutherford.

The vocal group Rhymes With Orange performed “Sister Sadie” written by Horace Silver and arranged by Paris Rutherford, “A Day in the Life of a Fool” written by Luiz Bonfa and arranged by Kirby Shaw, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” written by Paul Simon and arranged by Kirby Shaw, and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and arranged by Kerry Marsh.

The CCHS Jazz Ensemble performed “Firestar” by Ralph Gingery, “Moanin’” by Bobby Timmons, arranged by Mark Taylor, “A Child is Born” by Thad Jones, “Cambios de Otono” by Paul Baker and “Flight of the Foo Bird” by Neal Hefti and arranged by Peter Blair.