Point News, 1987 November 10

              November 10, 1987 Page 5
Music Scene
J a z z S e x t e t P ro v id e s P le a s in g P e r fo rm a n c e s a t S M C
Sam Janotta, the groups keyboardist and chief songwriter,
and Rick Humphreys, saxophonist, performing some
modern jazz during the festivities. t
Photo by Michelle Raymond
by Michelle Raymond____________
Early this semester, four SMC
students and two graduates got
together and formed a jazz sextet.
The group has played together and
separately at a variety of func­tions
since that time including a
concert which they organized.
The members of the jazz sextet
include Sam Janotta, keyboards;
Matt Shortridge, bass; Eric
Holcomb, drums; Roger Feldman,
guitar;, Bob Tracy, trumpet; and
Rick Humphreys, saxophone.
Feldman studied at the Berkeley
College of music before coming to
SMC. Janotta is also a transfer
student, having spent time at
Miami University which is famous
for its jazz program. The two of
them have also performed profes­sionally.
The members of the band attrib­ute
their transition to a more
modern jazz sound to Janotta, who
writes all of the band’s original
music.
Shortridge, who will graduate
this spring, is an art major. He has
displayed his talent in a number of
areas. Aside from playing a vari­ety
of musical instruments, Shor­tridge
is also a photographer for
SMC, and won the art award last
year. Feldman, the only music
major in the group, will also
graduate next semester.
Although Holcomb has been a
drummer for a long time, he has
just recently begun studying jazz.
According to other members in the
group, the jazz program at SMC
has allowed Holcomb to rapidly
improve his drumming technique.
Bob Tracy, a 1987 graduate of
SMC, comes back twice a week to
practice with the band. Rick
Humphreys graduated from SMC
when jazz was very popular.
Currently he freelances in a vari­ety
of styles of music across the
southern Maryland area and
teaches at a Calvert County middle
school. Humphreys is also the
director of the jazz big band at
SMC.
Last month, the jazz sextet held
a concert in Montgomery recital
hall. The event was totally
planned and organized by the
band. Their hard work was re­warded
when the band found
themselves playing before a capac­ity
crowd.
The next concert, planned for
either late this or early next semes­ter,
will contain more complex jazz
tunes than the first one. Accord­ing
to Feldman, the reason the first
concert contained “simple” tunes
was to “orient the students with
the j azz sound.” The complex
“modern” jazz tunes are a lot more
abstract and require a deeper
appreciation for the musical style.
The members of the jazz sextet
have also played at off-campus
parties as a rock band. They
usually change the name of the
band to fit certain situations.
Some of their more memorable
names are Mister Crab Sombrero,
A-stupids, and Explosive Carriers.
Many may remember them as
MEGA-EGO at the off-campus
Halloween party. For those who
didn’t attend the party, the band
was forced to stop playing by the
police. The members of the band
are planning a MEGA-EGO re­venge
in retaliation against that
night. The rock band gives mem­bers
an opportunity to sing vocals
and play each others instruments.
When asked about the future of
the jazz sextet, guitarist Roger
Feldman replied that he “would
like to see the school sponsor a
recording session so that this style
of music will be documented for
future jazz students.” The band
also hopes to play coffeehouses,
concerts, and parties next semes­ter.
For fans of progressive jazz
music, the Marshall Keys Group
will be playing in lower Charles
Hall tonight at 8:30 p.m. The event
is sponsored by the Fine Arts
Committee and the charge for
admission is $1.00.
Roger Feldman, guitarist, and Matt Shortridge, bass, per­form
at townhouse grounbreaking anniversary.
Photo by Michelle Raymond
H a v e n 't w r itte n h om e?
by Jess Walter
H e r e 's a P r e -p a c k a g e d S o lu tio n
So you still haven’t writ­ten
your parents.
Don’t worry about it. I
haven’t written your par­ents
either.
But, I know what you’re
thinking. What can I possi­bly
tell my parents that
they didn’t know about me
when I moved out, in 1978?
Don’t worry, I ’ll handle it
for you.
Just clip the following
letter, check the appropri­ate
boxes, toss it in the
mail, and sleep peacefully
tonight.
Dear () Mom, () Dad, ()
Baffled Parole Officer,
College is () groovy, ()
really really groovy, () like
prison without all the nice
guys.
My Roommates is/are ()
groovy, () a biker who parts
his hair down his spine, ()
eleven nymphomaniacs of
the opposite sex.
I really () miss you, ()
can’t seem to remember
who, exactly you are, ()
wish you’d tell me where
you moved.
The best thing about col­lege
is () the diversity of
opinion, ()the diversity of
beer- brands, () too much
for me to afford. I have
decided to major in () busi­ness,
() pool, () alcohol re­tention.
My classes are () intellec­tually
stimulating and
emotionally gratifying, ()
the same onesl flunked last
quarter, () probably being
held somewhere on campus.
Since I ’ve been at college
I ’ve realized that () all
those things you told me in
high school are true, () I
never went to high school,
() I can fart louder than my
roommate.
When you come to visit
me I want you to () meet all
my friends, () bring me
some friends, () bail my
friends out of jail.
The last time I saw you ()
I realized how much you
mean to me, () I didn’t
recognize you, () was too
soon.
Sorry I haven’t called, I ()
spend all my time studying,
0 sold the phone to buy
back my plasma.
Could you send me some
more money I () need to by
an annual, () I haven’t
eaten anything solid in
three years, () should really
take some classes while I ’m
here.
Most of all I want to say
how much () I love you, ()
money all the other stu­dents
get from their par­ents,
() cottage cheese it
takes to fill a guitar case.
Nine pounds.
Say hi to () my beloved
siblings, () fight promoter
Don King, () anyone you
see who looks like Richard
Dawson.
() With love, () With nag­ging
discomfort, () Send
Cash,
CRUISE SHIPS
NOW HIRING. M/F
Summer & Career Opportunities
(Will Train). Excellent pay plus
world travel. Hawaii, Bahamas.
Caribbean, etc. C A L L N O W :
2 0 6 - 7 3 6 - 0 7 7 5 E x t . 346F