It was a temperate June evening in Chapel Hill. The opening tune began shortly after 7 p.m.
But, starting well before then, Moeser Auditorium (at Hill Hall) was abuzz with the students, faculty, and guests of the UNC Summer Jazz Workshop. The 360ᵒ Jazz Initiative CD Release Concert featured a varied cast of performers from UNC’s professoriate and from around the world.
The evening’s setlist, comprised of seven tunes, was chosen entirely from the 360ᵒ Jazz Initiative’s newly recorded album, “Please Only Tell Me Good News.”
The group’s tunes featured influences from a variety of cultures and styles. For example, Rahsaan Barber’s instrumental composition, “Latindia,” was written with the mixture of Latin jazz and traditional Indian styles in mind that the portmanteau suggests. Ramunė Marcinkevičiūtė sung a song titled, “Adversities,” that had the rhythm of what you might think of as a typical American lounge jazz track, but with lyrics entirely in Lithuanian. Such was the scope of sounds enjoyed last night.
The evening’s performers were as follows:
- Ramunė Marcinkevičiūtė and Emma Gonzalez provided vocals for one song each.
- Rachel Therrien played trumpet, soloing brilliantly throughout the concert.
- Rahsaan Barber was on sax, and likewise impressed the audience with solos on multiple tunes.
- Alex Upton, a student who has competed on his instrument nationally, played the alto sax.
- Jerald Shynett was on trombone, bringing great power to the stage.
- Stephen Anderson, director of the Workshop, amazed on the piano.
- Baron Tymas provided guitar, in a very subdued-yet-essential manner.
- Juan Alamo played a variety of percussion instruments and the marimba.
- Jason Foureman played bass, and was afforded a chance to solo which he did not waste.
- Dan Davis offered a sometimes-steady and often-emphatic beat on his drum set, with one particularly notable solo.
When all was said and done, circa 8:45 p.m., the ensemble received a standing ovation.
The Workshop will be hosting a public performance each night this week.