Jazz ensembles entertain Cat's crowd

Four small ensembles brought weekend music

Whatever the excuse for missing Wednesday night's Small Jazz Ensembles at the Cat, it's not good enough. The four talented performing groups displayed the finest in amateur jazz, defining catchy rhythm for an enormous week-night audience.

Because of the multiple number of groups, each ensemble was pressed for time and limited to three or four numbers in the time allotted. However, the Dues Ensemble quartet began the show wonderfully with Tadd Dameron's "Our Delight." They mastered the piece from their tight start, with stereotypical jazz melody - if there is such a thing - and treated the audience with well-timed breaks for solos and quality collaboration at the chorus from the whole.

Guitarist first-years Ari Seder and Jeffrey Bean alternated spotlights for the most part, each tapping his foot along to the other's improvisations. By the third and final number, "Blues for Herb," the audience was cooing "Ooooh's" as each soloist strut his stuff. The ensemble left its listeners satisfied, and whet appetites for later acts.

The Drum Ensemble followed, proving to be the most original act of the evening. The foursome of College and Conservatory men entered the stage rhythmically, literally - each played a percussion instrument while walking on-stage, smoothly making the transition to each respective drum set. Conservatory first-year Warren Herold was seated first and began the steady lead-in beat for "New Orleans Street Beat." The others followed, and then took turns going down the line for solos. It was fascinating to watch and listen to: one would never suspect a sound so harmonious or melodic could emerge from an ensemble strictly of drummers. The audience was highly impressed, applauding after every solo.

The group went on to perform numbers composed by members of the ensemble, adding a wider array of percussionary instruments. Double-degree junior Alex Johnston's "Rumination" was based on a simple waltz beat expanded to remarkable melodic solos, while Conservatory first-year Brian Chase's "This 'n That" introduced a samba-like beat and countable pattern structure to tie solos with group effort. At times, the audience may have had problems following the complicated rhythmic collaborations, but nonetheless, the resulting sound was one of highly unique beat.

After another brief intermission, Nothing But Treble took stage. Their up-beat catchiness sounded fresh after the drum-only ensemble, and their talent for a steady balance of solo against group collaboration demonstrated their experience in live performance. Their set was one long flow of numbers, beginning with springy "Invitation" and working their way through the quick, steady bass lines of "Cousin Mary" to the sexy waltz of "The Child is Born." In some ways, Nothing But Treble's performance was like witnessing one complete live album. Each song moved smoothly into the next, with perfect timing and acoustics for each piece's smeared start and end.

However, toward what seemed to be the end of the ensemble's set, piano and baritone sax player Conservatory sophomore Burny Pelsmajer appeared to be jumbling random keyboard chords together on a whim. Their musical structure - even for jazz - seemed to be falling to pieces, and the audience was getting antsy. But, just when it seemed the random riffs and patterns had no destination, they turned soft and consonant again, quietly grabbing listeners' attention and swaying them into "Nardus," back on the beat with quick bass and full melody in the horns.

The final jazz ensemble, and sole quintet, of the evening took stage - Big Fish and the Boys. Opening with a slightly funkier beat that the other groups possessed, the band showcased an array of tenor saxophone and piano with Nothing But Treble's drummer and bassist, and featured young trumpeter Kevin Lewis. Their set poured with strong, crystal clear melody from collaborative sax and trumpet. Even the improv pieces possessed a professional structure, and the strength of Lewis's horn was vivid not only through his enormously loud playing, but in the veins rising from his forehead.

At this highly dramatic point in the set, saxist and College first-year David Fishkin was squeaking away in registers unknown to modern ears, but the audience was loving it, applauding at every point possible. This kind of enthusiasm continued throughout, and even the mellower numbers, like Lewis's own "Past Tense," had listeners musing with awe and approval.

The concert ended with an up-beat New Orleans standard, "Up Lazy Roof" in which octovic bass lines and light, airy piano melodies reminiscent of '20s style swing gave into Lewis's sexy muted horn additions. "We all about to go to church now," he said and led the audience into a full effort of hand-clapping and foot-tapping along to the beat. Needless to say, the new tradition of Small Jazz Ensembles, to continue Dec. 11, is a success.