Joyce’s Robbin Eaves will be the featured vocalist at Peninsula College’s March 7 “Jazz at the PUB” concert, beginning at 12:30 pm in the PUB. The series is an informal chance to hear the PC Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Dr. David P. Jones. It also provides a chance for college faculty, administrators, and staff , and the public, to take a break from their busy day with live jazz as the attraction.
Admission is free, and guests are invited to bring a lunch, or purchase food and drink from the Market and Deli.
Eaves will be backed by a 13-piece jazz band, featuring five woodwinds, seven brass, and a full rhythm section featuring drummer Terry Smith.
The band will perform music from the repertoire of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band, Charlie Parker, John Scofield, Daniel Barry a couple of new originals by Dr. Jones.
Robbin, accompanied by a smaller version of the band, will offer songs from the repertoire of Nat King Cole, Elvis Costello, and Emmylou Harris.
“I am particularly excited about one of the songs Robbin has chosen: ‘This Will Make You Laugh’ by the under-represented African American composer and pianist, Irene Higginbotham,” Jones said. “Miss Higginbotham, kept out of the spotlight largely because of her race and gender – and because so many of her great songs were composed when she was quite young -deserves more recognition.”
The song that the group will perform was written when the composer was just 23. Another notable song from the pen of Miss Higginbotham, “Good Morning Heartache” (written for Billie Holiday) was written before the composer turned 30. She is officially listed as the composer of over 50 published songs, but probably wrote many more that were unpublished, or published under male pseudonyms.
Performers in the band represent some of the very best jazz that the North Olympic Peninsula has to offer. From Port Angeles are Kevin MacCartney (tenor sax), Dick “Doc” Thorson (tenor sax), Jim Bradbury (trumpet), Joel Ricci (trumpet), Ken Young (trombone) and David Jones (keyboards/director). Sequim provides Jayne Morrison (alto sax), Anton Hilmisson (alto sax), Dan James (trumpet), Jeff Dingle (trombone), Tom Hartig (trombone),Terry Smith (drums) and Kendall Melton (bass) while John Adams (alto sax + alto clarinet + bass clarinet) hails from Port Townsend and Dan Powell (trombone) makes the twice weekly trek from Marrowstone Island.
For more information, contact Dr. Jones at 360-417-6405 or at djones@pencol.edu.
