When asked what Jazz was, trumpet legend Dizzy Gillespie said, “If you have to ask, you’ll never know.” This past Tuesday, the Wabash community was given the opportunity to hear a musical definition of Jazz courteous of the Jazz Brazil Quartet.
Many call Jazz the marriage of European harmonies with Afro-Cuban rhythms. Such an eclectic nature was certainly present at the concert. The performance was part of the Modern Language and Literature’s Words and Sounds series, though it was co-sponsored by the World Music Association, Visiting Artist Series, Humanities Division, and the Multicultural Concerns Committee.
The Jazz Brazil Quartet consisted of Brazilian brothers Sergio and Marcelo Gomes who played percussion and guitar respectively. Joining them, for the first time in public, were Indiana University faculty Tom Walsh on saxophone and Jeremy Allen on bass.
“I’ve known Tom [Walsh] from playing with him in several bands. He’s a very fine, very versatile saxophone player,” said Wabash College Jazz Band Director Steve Robinett. Yet it was Spanish professor Gilberto Gómez who had heard recordings of Sergio and Marcelo and organized the concert.
Some students, such as members of the Wabash College Jazz Band, were thrilled at the opportunity to have such high-caliber performers so accessible.
“It’s very exciting to have Jazz come to Wabash. As a Jazz enthusiast myself, it’s simply awesome,” said guitarist Haris Amin.
Other students took the concert as an opportunity for a new experience.
“I never listen to Jazz, but I’m trying to learn a little bit about it. Plus, a lot of my friends were there,” said sophomore Yousuf Bahrami. There was high attendance relative to other visiting artist series.
The concert stayed true to Brazilian Jazz throughout, though subtle variances were there for the attentive listener. Some charts were based on Brazilian rhythms, with original Jazz harmonies added. Other charts were Jazz standards infused with Brazilian percussion. For two numbers, the percussionist used traditional Brazilian instruments instead of a modern drum set.
“I liked how he gave the stories behind the instruments and the extended solos on them,” said sophomore Barry Ooi.
Even though the quartet was spilt on culture and native tongues, there was a transcending coherence in the music.
“I really appreciate how the Brazilian players were able to communicate [musically] with the American players,” said Amin. “That’s the cool thing about music.”
Yet the rich multi-cultural implications would never want to get in the way of the music. Regarding which, sophomore Joshua Lopez said, “It was badass.”