VERY IMPORTANT UPDATE
Due to the sudden and unfortunate death of Sharon Jones this past Friday, November 18, Noel Night will be cancelling its scheduled performances that would have featured Miss Jones and the Dap Kings at the First Congregational Church (33 E. Forest) at 8:00 and 9:15 p.m. HERE is a lovely article that recalls Miss Jones last days.
Rufus Reid
Noel Night is now working with The Carr Center of Detroit who will present Grammy-nominated jazz bassist Rufus Reid performing with the Michigan State University Jazz Orchestra I at 9:00-10:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church. Mr. Reid is the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union jazz artist in residence. The Michigan State University Jazz Orchestra I will also be performing excerpts from Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn’s arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite.
Rufus Reid
For much of his life, Rufus has performed with multiple generations of our legends of jazz. Several years ago he became a bandleader and composer. This latest release, Quiet Pride – The Elizabeth Catlett Project is a five movement, hour-long suite for a 20-piece orchestra. This composition is different from anything Rufus has written before. Rufus continues to step out of his box, out of his comfort zone. This composition was the result of the generosity of The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Composition Commission. It was premiered as a four-movement work at The Univ of Connecticut at Storrs where the grant was awarded. A fifth movement was composed and the suite Quiet Pride was premiered at The Shaw Center for the Arts in Baton Rouge, LA. It has also been performed at Bucknell University, PA, at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, NYC, at The Jazz Standard in NYC and at L’Astral, as part of The Jazz en Ralafe Festival, in Montreal.
Michigan State University Jazz Orchestra I
Jazz Orchestra I The nineteen-piece Jazz Orchestra I (The Be-Bop Spartans) is a young, swinging college band playing the repertoire of the great jazz masters as well as a wide range of soul, swing, blues, and gospel. The group’s instrumentation includes saxophone, trombone, trumpet, bass, drums, piano, guitar, and vocalists. Conductor: Rodney Whitaker - See more at: http://www.music.msu.edu/performance/student-ensembles/jazz-ensembles#sthash.camXT4vs.dpuf