The Journal

Issue date: 9/13/07 Section: Lifestyle

Media Credit: Contributed by Joey Kid Bassist Willem von Hombracht (left) and violinist Andy Driscoll perform "Awakenings: A Tribute to Django Reinhardt" Sept. 10 in the Winifried Moore auditorium.

The intoxicating sounds of gypsy jazz, catchy swing music and 1940s bebop were met with enthusiasm at the Dave Black and Friends faculty jazz performance Sept. 10. Jazz enthusiasts could be seen tapping their toes and snapping their fingers to the stylings of Jean Baptist "Django" Reinhardt, performed by adjunct music professor Dave Black and fellow colleagues at the Winifred Moore Auditorium.

Approximately 100 people attended the concert, which focused on music composed by Reinhardt, a Belgium-born jazz musician who blended gypsy music and French popular music of the 1930s to create a sub-genre, now known as gypsy jazz.

The performance, "Awakenings: A Tribute To Django Reinhardt" reflected Black's admiration for the musician and combined Reinhardt's original sound with popular early jazz tunes, swing, rumba and some originals written by Black.

Following blues form, "Back Talk," an upbeat jazz number written by Black, uses call-and-response method - Black plays a riff on the guitar and violinist Andrew Driscoll "responds" with his violin.

"I challenged myself to write this tune for this performance in order to put a piece of myself in the concert," Black said.

Webster music professors often put together performances featuring their friends and other faculty members in order to create an ensemble of their own and share their style with the community. This was Black's first project of this kind, and under his direction, it flowed seamlessly.

Dave Black and Friends included Black and Gary Hunt on guitar, Driscoll on violin, Willem von Hombracht on bass and Kevin Gianino on drums. Paul DeMarinis also performed with the group, playing clarinet, soprano saxophone and flute.

"Micro," a 1940s bebop song written by Reinhardt had an upbeat, catchy chord progression. There was very fast strumming on the guitars by both Black and Hunt, accompanied by a break down by von Hombracht on bass.

DeMarinis said a pool of music department faculty has been performing shows like this one for 27 years and will continue to put on concerts for the public.

Continued...

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