Collegio Online

Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: After Hours

Media Credit: photos by Patrick D. Furey The Crowder Jazz Orchestra is composed of college students, teachers and others in the surrounding Joplin, Mo., area. The ensemble practices on Tuesdays at 7:30 P.M. in the band room at the Webb City Junior High School.

Media Credit: Patrick D. Furey/Collegio Chris Goddard and the other trombonists play a tune.

Media Credit: Patrick D. Furey/Collegio Todd Hastings, music associate professor, leads the Crowder Jazz Orchestra at it's practice Tuesday night.

Media Credit: Patrick D. Furey/Collegio The jazz orchestra's drummer taps the drumsticks over the top-hat.

Tuesday nights might just be another week night to most people, but for the members of the Crowder Jazz Orchestra, a group comprised of musicians from the Four-State Area, it is a night to perfect their music and have a good time.

"It's a lot of fun," said Gary Greek, graduate from PSU and director of bands at Carthage High School. "That's what keeps us together. That's what keeps it coming."
Greek is one of 17 members of the "big band" that was created three years ago by Todd Hastings, music associate professor. Members include PSU faculty, students and alumni and students and faculty from surrounding schools.

Hastings says that Crowder College in Neosho, Mo., wanted to start and fund a community band and asked him if he'd be interested. Hastings agreed and began holding tryouts.

"Initially, there was an audition process," Hastings said. "We found a bunch of people that we never even knew were out there."
Hastings immediately found the right people for the positions.

Russell Jones, music professor and lead alto sax, says that the musicians in the band are extremely advanced.

"There's a tremendous amount of talent in this band," Jones said. "A lot of the most talented jazz players in the whole area are in the group. Our responses from audiences have always been great."

Jones and Hastings agree that the band is eager to play. They perform an annual show during the fall at Crowder College and usually play only a few more per year. Hastings says the members are hoping to continue playing more shows each year, eventually even traveling out of state.
"We'd like to perform every week," Hastings said. "I wish every Tuesday night we had a club to go play at."

Chris Goddard, senior in music performance, says that he immediately knew that the band was special.

"You look at the small towns around here and you don't think that there are people who are that good but you get us all together in a group and it's actually pretty cool what we can do," he said. "It's remarkable what we can accomplish."

The Crowder Jazz Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, at Carthage High School. The performance is free to the public. For booking information, call Todd Hastings at 235-4485 or by e-mail at thasting@pittstate.edu.

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