Big Band preforms a Swingin’ concert

Craig Cammell, saxophonist, performing East of the Sun by Brooks Bowman. (Lariat)

Before attending the Big Band concert on Oct. 11, 2019, I never listened to Jazz music before. But this concert has brought a new genre of music back to life.

While waiting in line to receive my ticket, I noticed many students attending the concert. “I went to a Jazz concert a few semesters back and fell in love with big band music.” Michael Donavon, a current student at Saddleback College, “When I received the email about the events this week, I knew I had to clear my schedule to attend this.”

Upon taking a seat in an almost full concert hall, I realized there was a mixture of students and nonstudents. People of every age were eager to listen to the music of the band. As soon as the band walked onto the stage, a feeling of excitement flooded the room. The band, with the freshly polished instruments, waited patiently for the clock to strike 7:30 P.M. As soon as the director Scott Farthing walked on stage, the show was ready to start.

The band began playing with so much energy and enthusiasm that all you could focus on were the sounds of each instrument. The best thing about the performance was that almost every performer had a solo. As soon as each solo performance was completed, the surrounding musicians would begin to pat the soloist on the back and congratulate them.

The concert not only performed well known big band songs but also performed two new songs composed by the band themselves. The thing that amazed me the most was that the two songs were much better than the previous songs. And the audience liked them more as well. You could see the feet tapping, and the heads bouncing with the beat of the music, the more and more the songs were performed.

“Never before have I ever listened to Jazz music,” said Kayla Fraser, a Saddleback student, “My boyfriend had to attend the concert for extra credit, and I was dragged along. I did not think I would like the music and told him before the event that we need to leave at the intermission. But as soon s intermission arrived, I begged him to stay. Never in my life did I think I would like this music!”

The big band was one of the best performances I have ever seen and am planning on attending many more performances by the wonderful big band at Saddleback College.

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