UNK- The University of Nebraska at Kearney Jazz Rock Ensemble has planned a spring concert for 8 p.m. on April 26 in the Fine Arts Recital Hall.
The ensemble will present a concert of music written for the big band with an emphasis on the 1980s and 90s. The students will perform jazz pieces styled in several types of swing, a ballad, a jazz samba, Latin rock, modal jazz, contemporary jazz and jazz fusion. The music will come from the libraries of Stan Kenton, Maria Schneider, University of Northern Colorado, Bob Curnow’s L.A. Big Band, and more. Composers of the music include George Gershwin, Pat Metheny, Herbie Hancock and others.
“The UNK Jazz Rock Ensemble brings together UNK students from all over the state to play great jazz and rock music from the best professional big bands in the nation,” said Jim Payne, ensemble director.
In addition, Kearney High School senior Rob Krysl will perform with the band on the drums. The son of Don and Shirley Krysl of Kearney, his father played drums in the UNK Jazz Rock Ensemble as an undergraduate and is also a former band director at Kearney High School. As an added attraction to the event, Jim Payne, in his twenty-sixth year at UNK will perform a trumpet solo.
The concert is free and open to the public.
