Photo By Staff Sgt. Jose O. Nava | Dick Sisto, artist-in-residence, Long Center for the Performing Arts, Lafayette, Ind.,...... read more read more
LAFAYETTE, Ind. – On Jan. 19 the Marine Corps All-Jazz Band performed at the Purdue Jazz Festival in the Long Center for the Performing Arts, Lafayette, Ind. The participation in the jazz festival was part of the All-Star Jazz Band tour of schools in the Chicago area.
The All-Star Jazz Band has been in service for four years and is comprised of members selected from the field bands throughout the Marine Corps. This year the band consisted of 18 Marines and was led by Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jim Ford, occupational field sponsor, Marine Corps Music Program.
“The Marines love it because it is a great opportunity for them to play in an ensemble like this [Marine Corps All-Star Jazz Band],” said CWO 4 Ford. “It [touring] has been great, we had a lot of performances in a short amount of time.”
In the few days that they toured the Midwest, the band visited local schools to give classroom talks and performed up to three times per day.
“The schools have been great and the crowds during the formal concerts in the evening are pretty energizing,” said CWO 4 Ford.
One of the performances during their stay was at the Long Center, and a local Lafayette musician had the opportunity to play some songs with the All-Star Jazz Band.
“I call them the peaceful warriors, the guys [service members] in music.” said Dick Sisto, artist-in residence, Long Center, Lafayette, Ind. “I think they had it in their minds that music is what they will do.”
The Long Center was built in 1920 to 1921 and was originally named the Mars Theatre. In 1981, the Long Center was added to the list of National Register of Historic Places.
“There’s great music in the service,” said Sisto, “it encompasses all kinds of music, but the jazz band in particular is beautiful.”
Included in some of the songs performed were vocals from one of the Marine musicians. The one providing the vocals was Staff Sgt. Ken Ebo, trombone instructor, The School of Music, Little Creek, Va.
“My family would sing around the piano and singing was a part of growing up,” said Ebo. “Opportunities arose when I started playing with bands to do a vocal in the middle of the set and it kind of grew from there.”
After the show was over, audience members had an opportunity to come up and speak to the members of the band and ask questions. Some of the members in the crowd were young musicians themselves and wanted to talk about their aspirations with the Marines.
“Absolutely, by the fact that they come up afterwards and ask questions,” said Edo. “When you inspire someone that is when the real learning begins.”
| Date Taken: | 01.19.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2012 18:13 |
| Story ID: | 83579 |
| Location: | LAFAYETTE, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 146 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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