Crane Jazz Band to Showcase Broad Repertoire at SUNY Potsdam

POTSDAM, NY (10/07/2011)(readMedia)-- The Crane Jazz Band will perform a variety of jazz styles and composers in an upcoming concert at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music.

The Crane Jazz Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20 in the Sara M. Snell Music Theater.

The 18-piece student group is led by Dr. Bret Zvacek, professor of jazz studies and jazz ensembles at Crane. Alex Slomka and Hugh Stuart are assistant directors for the Fall 2011 semester.

The evening's program will feature a wide assortment of jazz repertoire. The rowdy jazz standard "Haitian Fight Song" by Charles Mingus and Latin standard "Oye Como Va" by Tito Puente are sure to be recognizable crowd-pleasers.

Conductor Bret Zvacek's composition "Tropical Update" will also be featured. Thad Jones' "Back Bone," Oliver Nelson's "Miss Fine" and Bob Mintzer's playful Count Basie-styled tune "Home Basie" will show styles of the respective jazz legends.

"Cream of the Crop" by Doug Beach, "Easy Goin'" by John Fedchock and "Matt Matttox" by Matt Harris will round out the evening's program.

This event is free, and the public is invited to attend.

For more information about the many performances on the events calendar at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music, visit www.potsdam.edu/newsandevents.

Founded in 1886, SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music has a long legacy of excellence in music education and performance. Life at Crane includes an incredible array of more than 300 recitals, lectures and concerts presented by faculty, students and guests each year. The Crane School of Music is the State University of New York's only All-Steinway institution, and is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2011.

-www.potsdam.edu/crane-