THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF TO COMBINE FORCES AND EX-
PLORE
SOME
OF
THE
GREAT
NELSON
RIDDLE
JAZZ
STUDIO
ARRANGE-
MENTS FOR OUR FALL SEMESTER OF 2020. THE SETTING OF THE JAZZ ORCHESTRA WITH STRINGS IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUELY AMERICAN IN THE CANON OF POPULAR MUSIC. TWO CULTURES, AS IT WERE, OFTEN AT OTHER ENDS OF THE YARD FROM EACH OTHER UNTIL THAT GENTLE CULINARIAN SHOWS UP WITH A BUCKET OF FIRE, A BARROW OF MEAT, AND A PROCLIVITY FOR SAPIDITY BY WHICH HE SETTLES THE INHIBITIONS IN THE AIR WITH AN AROMATIC DRAFT ALONG THE MOST COMMON DENOMINATORS OF US ALL - HUNGER, THIRST, AND DELIGHT! NELSON WAS ONE SUCH ARRANGING GAUCHO.
RIDDLE’S WEAVING OF THE PERSONALITIES OF A JAZZ ORCHESTRA
WITH STRING SECTIONS IS YET ANOTHER MANIFESTATION OF WHAT THIS “MELTING POT”, THIS GRAND EXPERIMENT OF A SOCIETY COULD AFFORD US WHEN WE CHOOSE TO COME TOGETHER AROUND A THEME. FIRST TO LISTEN, TO OBSERVE, TO UNDERSTAND, TO ASSESS THE ASSETS, AND THEN TO VENTURE FORTH SECURING THE FOUNDATIONS OF HARMONY AND TIME, SUPPORTING THE MELODY WITH BOTH STRUCTURE AND SPACE, NEGOTIATING THE TELLING WITH INNOVATIVE LINES, ACCEDING TO THE LEAD, AFFIRMING WITH RESPONSE, TRADING DEMANDS FOR A WOO TO WRESTLE, FOREGOING PREFERENCES FOR THE PLEASURE OF PURSUING A NEW CAMARADERIE; THIS IS THE NATURE OF JAZZ - A FELLOWSHIP ON A THEME WITH WHOMEVER IS IN THE YARD.
- JASON HARMS