What do a banker, a neurologist, a ninth grader, two music educators, a computer technician, a potato chip factory technician and six college students have in common?
They love big band jazz and are all members of the Broome Community College Jazz Ensemble.
There always are students who take advantage of this ensemble course, but, when there are not enough of them to make up a 17-piece big band, volunteer musicians who live in the area join in, creating a true community jazz ensemble.
Adding fuel to the ensemble's fire for tonight's spring concert is guest trumpet player John Carlson from Brooklyn, who has performed or recorded with jazz notables Billy Hart, Julius Hemphill, Dave Liebman, George Garzone, Joanne Brackeen and Tito Puente.
Ensemble director Donna Wood, who has taught and performed with Carlson at Interplay Jazz, says he has "amazing chops," but don't just take her word for it. Robert Spencer of Cadence Magazine says "John Carlson is a magnificent trumpeter, able to move with equal grace in the realms of both Clifford Brown and Michael Ray.
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