The Northwestern University Jazz Orchestra performed “A Tribute to Miles Davis” on Thursday in the Galvin Recital Hall to commemorate Black History Month. The sold-out show featured a full rendition of Davis’ 1957 album “Miles Ahead.”
Davis is one of several artists the orchestra has paid tribute to in the last several years, with others including Duke Ellington and Count Basie.
During the concert, NU Jazz Orchestra Conductor Derrick Gardner praised Davis’ influential trumpet playing, and said he admired Davis as a trumpeter himself. In honor of Davis, each song in “A Tribute to Miles Davis” included student trumpeter soloists.
Bienen and McCormick senior Jun Byun was one of the featured musicians, and said he felt that he had big shoes to fill as he played Davis’ part.
“I’ve had a lot of fun trying to emulate a lot of Miles’ lyrical soloing, and also the language he emulates and the notes he plays,” Byun said. “Definitely not an easy task, but I had a lot of fun.”
While the trumpet charts are prominent, there is not very much piano in “Miles Ahead.” The arrangements used in the tribute concert, mostly done by jazz composer Gil Evans, give the pianist more to do throughout the album.
NU Jazz Orchestra pianist and Bienen junior Brandon Harper said he thought the arrangements created a different texture for listeners compared to the original album, and that slightly modifying the piano part elevated the music as a whole.
“It’s almost like listening to the Count Basie Orchestra, because Count Basie didn’t play that much piano,” Harper said. “But when he did, it was the right place at the right time, and it sounded great.”
Harper himself arranged “Out of the Blue,” which a small ensemble played at the tribute concert and competed with at the National Collegiate Jazz Championship in January. NU was one of ten collegiate bands invited to attend, and Harper took home honorable mentions in piano and combo arrangement.
Though the musicians had a quick turnaround from competing at the championship to putting together the Miles Davis tribute set, several audience members commented on how impressed they were with the show.
First-year applied microeconomics Ph.D. student Matti Jokela grew up playing the drums and listening to jazz, and said he could feel the band soften into the music as the set progressed.
“It was really a pleasure because I got to sit there and let the energy wash over you of these really young, inspiring, exciting musicians,” Jokela said.
In addition to showing off the students’ work as musicians, the concert was NU Jazz Orchestra’s way of commemorating Black History Month.
Eighth Ward resident Cearra Stinson said the music resonated deeply.
“My father was a huge jazz fan,” said Stinson. “I grew up listening to Miles Davis with him, and I really wanted to come and celebrate that and honor him, and also Black History Month.”
For Chicago resident Alaina May, “A Tribute to Miles Davis” is one of many NU Jazz Orchestra events she has attended.
May said her and her partner have followed the orchestra for quite a few years, and enjoy watching new musicians grow over time. She said she thought the musicianship was worth it for others to do the same.
“They are kicking. They have the quality, and they’ve got the musicians,” May said. “We’ve always felt that they have the kind of quality that everybody should be hearing.”
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