Al Strong, Rahsaan Barber, Roland Barber, Stephen Anderson, Jason Foureman, and Kobie Watkins performed for us in the elegant Moeser Auditorium. There was much talent to look forward to, most of which being a part of UNC’s faculty.
One performer I was particularly excited for was 2x grammy-nominated trumpeter, Al Strong. Strong has an extensive discography embodied by his own unique sound. Another is guest trombonist, Roland Barber, a prolific performer and composer having worked with Lauryn Hill, Chaka Khan, and many others.
Before the show, Dr. Anderson prefaced us with Al Strong’s attention to detail when it comes to writing music. This was displayed in the intricate, yet harmonious performance about one hundred of us witnessed that night.
You could both hear and see that each instrumentalist played with immense passion. Strong played while scrunching his face almost the entire night, so you know he was focused and almost unable to miss a note. Roland and Rahsaan Barber played their brass instruments with dirty, soulful bends. You would think Anderson and Foureman’s fingers were cramping by the end of the show by how fast they played their piano and bass, respectively.
The highlight of the night for me was seeing Kobie Watkins absolutely shred the drum set. This world-renowned Jazz drummer is known as “Swing Master” and that night I found out why. Every hit was precise, exactly where he wanted it. It seemed effortless to him as he awed the crowd with his smiles and expressions. When Watkins is really in his zone, he does this thing where he tilts his head up and gazes as if he is letting a drummer’s spirit take over and play for him.
Monday night at Moeser Auditorium, I gained a true appreciation for Jazz. The energy and emotion that artists pour into their instruments is truly infectious.
https://scjazz.org/sc-jazz-masterworks-ensemble/members/kobie-watkins