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Oberlin Jazz Ensemble "Community Service" Wins Most Outstanding Ensemble at 1999 Elmhurst College Jazz Festival
Story by Michael Chipman
The Oberlin small jazz ensemble "Community Service" was
judged Most Outstanding of thirty-five participating
ensembles at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival held at
Elmhurst College in Elmhurst, Illinois, February 26-28. The
ensemble was also chosen to perform at the festival's
closing concert as the opening act for singer/pianist Diana
Krall and her bassist Ben Wolf and guitarist Russell
Malone.
Community Service band members include sophomores trumpeter Michael Reavey from Thompson, Pennsylvania; tenor saxophonist Kelly Roberge from Monroe, Connecticut; trombonist Andrew Hunter from Grayling, Michigan; bassist Matthew "Moppa" Elliott from Factoryville, Pennsylvania; pianist Ezra Weiss from Scottsdale, Arizona; and juniors drummer Brian Chase from Huntington, New York; and guitarist Evan Wilson from Brooklyn, New York.
The Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, now in its 32nd year, is an annual three-day event at which big bands and small ensembles from schools throughout the Midwest come to participate. Professional judges offer constructive critiques of each performing group, conduct clinics, and perform in concerts. This year's judges included Michael Abene, Lanny Morgan and Bobby Shew, all established leaders in the fields of jazz composition, performance and teaching.
For the competition portion of the festival, Community Service performed three original compositions: "Trane of Thought" by Evan Wilson, and "Cocoon" and "Tea Shells" by Ezra Weiss. The judges liked what they heard. "I'm impressed with the high level of musicianship -- in the playing, writing, dynamics, and enthusiasm for the music," Morgan wrote on his adjudication sheet. "Gooood Band -- very imaginative writing," Abene wrote.
"We had a lot of fun at the festival,"
says Reavey. "There is a lot of interest 
in
jazz in Chicago and the audience seemed to like what we had
to offer. We had performed those pieces often before the
festival and the adjudicated performance was the best we had
played them. It was great to be one of the opening bands for
Diana Krall because we had the judges' comments from our
performance earlier in the day so we incorporated several of
their suggestions. Bobby Shew had told me to 'play less
notes' so I tried playing fewer notes. The people sitting
around us at the Krall concert said they liked our
sound."
Reavey says the group also took advantage of the vibrant jazz scene in Chicago during their stay. "It was the first time many of us had been to Chicago, so we tried to see as many sights and hear as much music as possible. We hit a few clubs and heard some excellent musicians in some less than obvious places. There was one club which charged an arm and a leg to get in, but the guys on the stage gave a phenomenal performance -- every bit as good as shows in New York."
"The festival was the best musical experience I've had so far," says Reavey. "It was great to work with the other musicians in the group. They are all attentive to the music and to each other. I felt like more than a college ensemble."
Peter Dominguez, associate professor of jazz studies and bass, describes Community Service's performance as professional, and he credits the students' diligence in individual study and working well as a group. "Community Service had been performing together for a while before the festival and were very prepared," says Dominguez. "They sounded really good and relaxed and had a good ensemble sound. They also got some good exposure. We are really lucky to have so many talented jazz musicians at Oberlin."
Bobby Shew, in his judge's comments, writes, "Superb group, guys! Congratulations. ... This group has tremendous potential. I hope you find lots of places and opportunities to perform." Unfortunately, Community Service no longer performs together as an ensemble -- they formed the group specifically for the Elmhurst festival. "Even so," says Dominguez, "this group became good friends and I think those friendships will continue."
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