DVC Inquirer 3-19-15 Vol. II Issue 4

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INQUIRER Student Voice of Diablo Valley College

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Volume II No. 4 Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, April 15, 2015 www.DVCInquirer.com

Piano Department showcases all ages SHANE LOUIS Co-editor-in-cheif

The Diablo Valley College Piano Department spotlighted the skills of students of all ages at their Advanced Piano and Piano Ensemble concert, proving just what the Music Department is capable of.

Music Building room M-101, nearly full of students and parents, was an excellent setting for this intimate concert.

The 10 performers each presented their pieces professionally, as would be expected of musicians of this caliber.

The highlight of the afternoon was Lydia Szczepanski’s performance of Chopin’s “Waltz in A-flat, Op 69, No. 1.” Throughout her performance, Szchepanski expressed emotions through her dynamic expression and Continued on Page 8

SHANE LOUIS / The Inquirer

• News 2, 3 • Opinions 4, 5 • Sports 6 • Editorial 4 • Features 7, 8 • Campus Buzz 4 • Calendar 2 • Police Beat 2 • Staff Information 2 • Copyright © 2015 The Inquirer - Diablo Valley College

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Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, April 15, 2015

calendar “Picasso at the Lapin Agile”, March 19-29 Performing Arts Center Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m..

Sundays at 2:30 p.m.. Tickets cost $11 - $21.

Spring 2015 Club Roster Deadline, March 23 11 p.m.

Submit Spring 2015 club roster online.

College Success Workshop, March 24 5:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

Student Union Conference Room “Writing Introductions and Conclusions” workshop presented by Sunshine Kirst.

College Success Workshop March 25 2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.

Student Union Conference Room “Sentence Editing” workshop presented by Ema MikolavichFischer.

Managment Council, March 25 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Community Conference Center Management Council monthly meeting.

police beat Thursday, March 5 DVC Bus Transit Center Unknown subject hit/kicked the window and door of a County Connection Bus causing a glass panel on the door to break.

Thursday, March 5 DVC Overflow Parking Lot A vehicle was burglarized while it was parked unattended.

Friday, March 6 DVC Parking Lot 8 The rear windshield of a parked car was shattered by unknown means. There was nothing to indicate it was intentional.

Monday, March 9 DVC Liberal Arts Building A student reported that another student displayed aggressive behavior towards her and made comments that made her feel unsafe during a class.

Wednesday, March 11 DVC Parking Lot 9 A dog jumped out of an open window of a parked vehicle. The owner was later located and reunited with the dog.

Campus clubs celebrate International Women’s Day TAYLOR PAGAN News editor

The Diablo Valley College Women's Empowerment club and Latino Student Alliance held a campus vigil on March 10 in celebration of International Women's Day. Club members gathered near the DVC bookstore at 12:30 p.m. and displayed signs with statements such as "celebrate the strength of women" and "caution, empowerment zone ahead" written on them and they passed out flowers to women as they walked by.

Latino Student Alliance officer and WE DVC member Jackie Franco, 20, said their hope is that this simple act of kindness will make a person's day.

"We're passing them out so people can keep in mind that women are appreciated around campus," she said.

The turn out for the vigil was smaller than members anticipated. After waiting for more people to show up, they continued on with the planned activities. Members took turns reading Maya Angelou's poem "Phenomenal Woman" and a few people spoke.

The WE DVC Inter-Club Council representative Ashley Leung, 19, said she was appreciative for those who came to show their support.

"We are noticed," she said, praising their vigil demonstration.

WE DVC member Sabrina Larez, 18, said, "No matter how small it's great that we're active. That we're empowered."

She explained how WE DVC strives for gen-

SHANE LOUIS / The Inquirer

Jackie Franco, 20, shares her thoughts with the group at the Women’s Day vigil on March 10 at DVC. der equality.

"Feminism is not about hating men," she said. "I think it is often perceived that way. I want to change that."

Forestry major Isa Dolan, 20, said he learned about the vigil from Facebook.

"It's important all people are equal if we really want to advance as a society," he said.

WE DVC president Andrea Corrigan, 23, said women have to stand in solidarity with one another.

"Love the women around you," she said.

"Support the women around you. Uplift the women around you."

More information on Women's History Month activities on campus can be found on the DVC website.

Contact TAYLOR PAGAN at TPagan@DVCInquirer.com

Panel addresses women in the media SRIRAM RAMAKRISHNAN Staff member

A panel discussion on the portrayal of women in the media took place on Monday March 16 in the Business and Foreign Languages Community Conference Room.

The discussion was organized by the Project Censored group at Diablo Valley College and was moderated by Mickey Huff, the head of the DVC History department and one of the directors of the Project Censored organization.

The panel began explaining how Project Censored is a media research, education and advocacy initiative founded to expose censorship in propaganda and mass media and to publish news stories that have been omitted or censored by other media sources.

The panelists brought to light how any news related to wom-

THE INQUIRER Diablo Valley College 321 Golf Club Road, ATC-103 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 The Inquirer is published Thursdays during the school year by the Diablo Valley College journalism students. Unsigned articles appearing on the opinions page are editorials and reflect a two-thirds majority opinion of the editorial staff. Signed columns and cartoons are the opinions of the writer or artist and not necessarily those of The Inquirer, Diablo Valley College or Contra Costa Community College District.

en is consistently overlooked or skewed by the media throughout the history of the United States of America while criticizing how the mainstream media and celebrities greatly narrow the views and ideas of feminism while altering its perception to the general public.

Vocal panelist Crystal Bedford expressed her frustrations to attendees.

“Many times the attention related to feminism and women in the media is associated with just violence towards women rather than the movement of feminism which is its own entity,” she said.

The discussion emphasized the importance of social media in the tactful organization of movements similar to those of feminists such as race and police brutality by using platforms such as Twitter to gain followers and spread awareness.

The discussion also revolved around the issues of race and feminism as a prevalent problem affecting society. Panelist Lisa Davis from the College of Alameda urged attendees to start with the activism at an early age as to “go to the base and stop the bleeding,” noting how the biases of race in children’s books and movies can greatly affect the self esteem of young minority children.

Darlan Keeps, another panelist, also reflected upon the general stigma and notions associated with the term feminism by sharing a personal hesitation she had.

“At first I was skeptical and I didn’t consider myself a feminist,” Keeps said. “But I later realized that was due to the conventional ideas I had heard associated with the term.”

Audience members also chimed in on the discussion by asking

Editorial Board CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF ONLINE & NEWS EDITOR FEATURES EDITOR

Shane Louis Tyler Elmore Taylor Pagan Daniel Maraccini

the panelists questions and sharing their personal viewpoints on various topics associated with the current state of women’s rights and depiction by the mainstream media.

The panel concluded with closing thoughts from the audience and each of the panelists on the contribution of ideas towards finding solutions.

Professor Huff praised students and panelists for boldly sharing their thoughts, ideas and opinions and urged everyone to have their voices heard.

“One solution to all these problems and questions starts with just talking about it, and discussing these issues as we are doing here,” he said.

Contact SRIRAM RAMAKRISHNAN SRamakrishnan@DVCInquirer.com

Staff SENIOR STAFF WRITERS Ryan Chan, Keith Montes STAFF WRITERS Austin Currington, Austin Lemak, Cooper Mead, Dustin Pyne, Fidel Ontiveros, Jacob Judd, Jesse Sutterley, Kain Piyanuluk, Marcel Scott, Melanie Calimlim, Sophia Johnson, Sriram Ramakrishnan ILLUSTRATOR Wesley Ihezue INSTRUCTIONAL LAB COORDINATOR Julius Rea ADVISER Mary Mazzocco

• Phone: 925.969.2543 • Email: inquirer@dvc.edu • Website: www.dvcinquirer.com • Printed seven times per semester •

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Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Greenhouse plant sale flourishes though the Horticulture Department has added more courses this semester, classes fill up rather The Diablo Valley College quickly. Plant production profesHorticulture Department is holdsor Michelle Eyestone said the ing their semiHorticulture annual plant Club is not just “What’s beautiful sale on April for horticulture 10 and 11. students but for about horticulture There will be everybody. is it’s a huge umbrella an abundance “What’s of plants for beautiful about for any number Spring garhorticulture is of disciplines.” dening needs. it’s a huge umThe DVC brella for any ~ MICHELLE EYESTONE garden is open number of disHorticulture professor for all stuciplines,” Eyedents. stone said.

The adapHorticulture tive horticulture class taught by Club President Jonathon McdonKarin Tolbot are in the garden ald, 33, said, “We are all working during its open hours of 9a.m.diligently on these up coming 11:30a.m. every Friday. plant sales which require so much The garden is located by the unseen planning as we get close tennis courts, next to parking lot to the deadlines.”

9.

More information can be The plant sale is put together found at the Horticulture Club’s each semester by horticulture weekly meetings every Wednesstudents and professors and the day at 5:30 p.m. proceeds go to funding the department.

Unlike last semester, the greenContact SOPHIA JOHNSON at SJohnson@DVCInquirer.com house is now flourishing. Even SOPHIA JOHNSON Staff member

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opinions 4

Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Editorial

The

Buzz

What do you think of DVC having a 16-week semester?

JUSTIN COX, 29 Computer Science

“For those who already have enough on their plate it might be tougher.”

Graphic illustration by WESLEY IHEZUE

MITCHELL AJI, 27 Marketing

“I think that would be great.

For me it doesn’t seem too long now though.”

CHRISOPHER SAREGON, 22 Business

“I’m not in favor... many students find it difficult to manage time efficiently as it is.”

KELLY CONROY, 22 Animation

“I’ve been on the quarter system before and too much information was crammed in.”

Change needed to combat college hate crimes University of Oklahoma president David Boren took swift action in disciplining the school’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) chapter after a video surfaced online showing the group performing racist chants.

It took less than a week for UO to sever ties with the fraternity and expel the two students who lead the chant, which featured racial slurs and calls for lynching.

During his March 9 statement, Boren addressed the SAE members directly when he said, “Real Sooners (UO’s nickname) are not racist. Real Sooners are not bigots... Real Sooners love each other and take care of each other like family members.”

Whether or not these expulsions violated the First Amendment is debatable, as experts are pointing out. Such issues of free speech shouldn’t be taken lightly, and we should all make an effort to learn why, or even if, the SAE members were treated unfairly.

But we should also make an effort to consider the other issue at hand: the flourishing of hate crimes on college campuses.

It’s no secret these schools have become safe-ground for this behavior, one must

“Unneeded stress on people including teachers and students but it would save money.”

Interviewed and photographed by: Taylor Pagan and Sophia Johnson

“This behavior shows they aren’t above hate crimes, no matter how much their well-crafted Facebook pages or righteous tweets may say otherwise.”

It’d be easy to say college campus Greek life is to blame. According to the new film “The Hunting Ground,” sexual assault and assault & battery are the two most common insurance claims against the fraternity industry, and both frats and sororities have long histories of discrimination.

But to reorganize these relatively small

parts of college life is not enough.

School administrators must do more to ensure these crimes don’t happen. This means diversifying campuses: making sure public institutions like OU better reflect the minority population of the states they represent. It means not aligning with clubs like SAE: institutions that promote violence, overconsumption of alcohol and discrimination based on gender, race and/or income level. Most of all, it means worrying less about profits and more about fostering intelligent society members.

Millennials also need to improve. They are the ones who chanted, marched on black sororities with Confederate flags and committed sexual assault. This behavior shows they aren’t above hate crimes, no matter how much their well-crafted Facebook pages or righteous tweets may say otherwise.

Perhaps more than any generation before, Millennials are capable of feeling better than they actually are. It’s a dangerous way to think, one that often comes back to bite you on the rear: just ask the frat boys on the bus.

Letter to the editor

Students need larger desks FOSTER SCHMIDT, 21 English

only look at the 2014 White House study on sexual assault to confirm this. That report found “one in five women is sexually assaulted while in college.”

It’s time to replace students’ desks at Diablo Valley College.

Imagine you are in a tough class studying with a small desk and you want to take notes and read the textbook at the same time.

Usually, the college students need room on a desk to put more than a book with a planner, a pen, a calculator or a binder.

Within the small desk space, it is easy to the materials to fall off it. The sound of them falling on the ground is not only distracting you during class, but also the other students around you.

In fact, the classrooms in the Humanities building, the forum, and many other buildings in DVC have very small desks.

The standard eight-and-half by 11-inch notebooks can barely fit on them.

In addition, the small desks can give you neck and back pains. Studying in strange postures to fit in the small desks and writing for several hours a day

will definitely cause some muscular pains.

According to Spine-Health’s website, the article, “How Poor Posture Causes Neck Pain” stated that poor posture is a big issue.

In that article, Physical Therapist Gavin Morrison articulated that being long term in bad postures can cause a lot of health problems including, “Disc degeneration problems, which may potentially lead to cervical degenerative disc disease, cervical osteoarthritis, or a cervical herniated disc.”

As DVC students, we have rights to speak out to have a more comfortable environment

to study and do well in the college. When the desks get bigger to fit with at least a book and a notebook, it would be easier to concentrate on the lectures for the students rather than be distracted by continuous sounds and motions of pens falling.

To do so, we need to collect our votes to send a petition to the school to replace the small desks. If you are a DVC student and feel uncomfortable with the small desks, please contact me and send to the petition. ~Soo Lim DVC Student

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Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, April 15, 2015

‘House of Cards’ or ‘West Wing’ How do you view the American government?

Spoiler alert: Politics suck…but do they have to?

House of Cards is an Emmy and Golden Globe winning political drama about a corrupt and ruthless politician who weasels his way from a leadership position in congress all the way to the presidency without a single vote being cast. It’s a grim and gritty drama about the seedy underbelly of Washington.

It’s a modern MacBeth where back-stabbing has more to do with lying and blackmail than daggers. It’s a cynic’s idea of Washington.

A show where a plot line about passing massive education reform and a senior White House staffer personally tracking down and silencing a prostitute who knows too much are given equal weight. That’s a really bleak perspective from which to examine the highest office in the land. There’s no redeeming this Washington. It’s the kind of show that makes me want to give up on government altogether.

But I also grew up watching The West Wing. It’s another political drama about the daily grind of trying to govern. It follows an idealistic (but by no means naive) presidential administration as they fight against very real political problems: partisanship, budget reform, reelection. It’s about good, smart, and righteous people struggling to do the right thing, and govern the United States responsibly. This show taught me that it does matter who you vote for, and that government should be about serving its people.

It’s easy for me to see why all of my friends are buzzing about House of Cards, while most of them fall asleep halfway through West Wing’s pilot. One indulges the notion that politics (as a force for good) is a lost cause, a place where the game is rigged by the opportunistic and powerful. The other inspires us to be better than we are, and to take seriously our responsibility as voting

Graphic illustration by WESLEY IHEZUE

Graphic illustration by WESLEY IHEZUE

JACOB JUDD Staff member

citizens living in a republic.

House of Cards succeeds by feeding on

our insecurities and frustrations as a nation.

After more than a decade of war, recession, bailouts, and partisanship, the world around us can seem hopelessly broken, and politics can often seem like the worst of it all. And if we allow this idea to take root in our mind it becomes easy to write off politics altogether, thus removing burden of responsibility.

If government is worthless then we as citizens have the perfect excuse to not participate. It’s easy to say, “Well both candidates are probably crooked so why bother?”

But that’s not good enough. We owe it to ourselves to make our world less like House of Cards and more like The West Wing.

The truth is both shows are fantasies, one

idealistic the other nihilistic, and real life is probably somewhere in between. Yes, surely there are a few Frank Underwoods out there, but I’d like to believe we have a few Jed Bartlets amongst us too. And either way, they answer to us. By all means, enjoy your House of Cards, as I certainly do. But if you don’t like what’s happening in our nation, don’t forsake it as a lost cause, do something about it.

Make your voice heard, write your congressman, protest and above all, vote. Because it’s not just our right, it’s our responsibility.

Contact JACOB JUDD at JJudd@DVCInquirer.com

DVC marijuana culture connects students Around campus the smell of that brings people together,” said cannabis fills the air, groups of an anonymous 30-year-old geogstudents sit and chat, enjoying raphy major while enjoying a joint their time in between classes. with a group of friends after class.

Smoking weed is becoming acWho could really argue? cepted around Why be afraid the country, of such harmand it’s no surless fun? prise that colIn recent lege students studies, the are treating the major problem drug more like found with becigarettes in reing high on cent years. cannabis is the Studies have associated loss shown that of short term weed smoke is memory, which not nearly as should be an MARCEL SCOTT harmful as toalarm to stuStaff member bacco smoke, dents not to and there is get high before little to no addiction in the drug, class. unlike tobacco.

“I find it nearly impossible to rePeople can meet up and chat, member what I have learned when have a good time and enjoy and I’m high. Whether I’m in class share their different strains of can- or studying, all the information nabis all while staying, for the most around me seems to be forgotten part, healthy. the next day,” said a 19-year-old “It’s just the social aspect of UC Berkeley, political science mahanging out and smoking weed jor. “After I learned this about my-

self, I have decided to just smoke (weed) after I have finished my work as a reward, but never as a part of my daily life anymore.”

So perhaps with the new availability of cannabis, students should treat it more like alcohol, and not like tobacco.

Where they should only be smoking the substance when there is no work to be done, and try to refrain from smoking the drug before class.

“Most people are running to and from class, and they don’t come to school to hangout,” said a 20 year old allied health major.

That’s more of what this col- desperately needs. lege needs, a social scene where Perhaps it’s something about students the act aren’t just “People can meet up and chat, of smokon the Dithat have a good time and enjoy ing ablo Valbrings ley cam- and share their different strains people pus for of cannabis all while staying, together. class, but It for the most part, healthy.” seemed instead, come to to be the school also to hangout. It’s such same way with tobacco, before social scenes that our school so studies showed how detrimental it

Graphic illustration by WESLEY IHEZUE

can be to one’s health; now with a nearly accepted form of smoking (weed), people now socialize again sharing the same smoke filled experience.

Smoking weed comes with an outlook similar to alcohol: don’t operate a vehicle, don’t smoke while pregnant, and make sure to stay responsible.

Contact MARCEL SCOTT at MScott@DVCInquirer.com

sports 6

Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, April 15, 2015

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Amber Golini attempts to get an out at second base during DVC’s game against Sierra on March 13.

Softball loses double header against Sierra Wolverines AUSTIN LEMAK Staff member

The Viking softball team lost both games in their double header on March 13.

In the first game, the Vikings came out strong by scoring three runs in the first inning.

Ashley Allen and Bailey Simmons both hit home runs to help create a comfortable lead.

After hitting her second home run of the year, third-baseman Simmons said, “I had two strikes on me so I was not thinking about hitting a home run, I was just thinking about putting the ball on the ground and getting on base.”

Sierra College pulled their starting pitcher in the middle of the first inning as they were not happy with the three run lead.

After the first inning of play, Sierra came back with their own pair of runs in the top of the second inning.

The Vikings helped Sierra out by walking in a run with bases loaded and sacrificing a fly ball to right field.

Second-baseman Amber Golini helped get out of the jam with her glove skills, as she took a short hop to get the runner at first for the third out.

“We have to go out early and

hit like we did in the first inning,” Golini said after the game. “And have to continue through the whole game.”

In the top of the fourth, the Wolverines hit a three-run home run to put them up by two runs.

The Vikings answered with a run to keep it a close game. They loaded the bases, and the Sierra pitcher walked a run in to make the score 5-4.

The bats stayed alive for the Wolverines and hit a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning.

After the first inning, the bats slowed down for the Vikings and couldn’t keep pace with the hitting attack from Sierra.

When all was said and done, the Vikings lost in an upsetting 12-4.

They went on to lose game two 7-1.

“We were too tight,” said assistant coach Carl Paz. “We have not played that many teams that had that good of an offense and defense.”

Contact AUSTIN LEMAK at ALemak@DVCInquirer.com

features 7

Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, April 15, 2015

An artist walks into a bar...

‘Picasso’ keeps audience roaring with laughter SRIRAM RAMAKRISHNAN Staff member

Uncontrollable laughter could be heard a mile away for the opening night of Diablo Valley College Drama Department's latest production, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" on March 13.

It's 1904 and no one is taking him seriously. A looney, pipe-smoking know-it-all, who will eventually change the 20th century and mankind forever. Freddy, the owner of the Lapin Agile, throws him complicated problems that he solves in a matter of seconds.

The other patrons of the Lapin Agile don't really care for his rants on the theory of relativity, but we are playfully reminded of his brilliance as he is the young Albert Einstein (played by Dan Cassilagio) and we watch him go back and forth with the flirty and womanizing Pablo Picasso (played by Justin Johnson). The bar is eventually filled with a plethora of wacky characters from all walks of human imagination. A guitarplaying country boy from the future eerily resembling Elvis Presley even pays a visit.

Time, space and creativity are uniquely bent in the Steve Martin written comedy and the DVC Drama Department has captured these elements perfectly.

Household names from all walks of human history that are starkly opposite in seemingly every bit of their personalities find themselves sharing drinks, conversation and ideas one night in the Lapin Agile and these characters are brought to life with the passionate and lively performances of the

entire cast.

Cassilagio, a performing arts major who has been acting since he was 14 years old, noted how the cast had to audition for the specific roles they wanted and they had all been rehearsing for this production since mid January.

"I knew I wanted to play Albert Einstein from the very beginning," he said.

Cassilagio plays his character with wit and charisma that is well complimented by the other roles throughout the play. Along with the powerful acting performances, the set of the Lapin Agile is spectacularly furnished and detailed, bringing the audience into the environment of a late 19th century bar.

"The set is pretty extravagant," said Drama Department production office assistant Amanda Boyan. "And a lot of people who are in this show have been in past productions. So the actors are experienced, and the audience might recognize some familiar faces."

DVC student Taylor Garwin attended the show on opening night. "I was very impressed," he said. "The character of the old man (Gaston) was hilarious and I saw a lot of Steve Martin throughout the play, especially in the portrayal of Picasso."

What else happens when a time-traveling Elvis Presley runs into Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein arguing at a bar in Paris? Get your tickets on the DVC website and stop by the Performance Arts Center to find out.

Contact SRIRAM RAMAKRISHNAN at SRamakrishnan@DVCInquirer.com

SRIRAM RAMAKRISHNAN / The Inquirer

From left to right, Dan Cassilagio, Gabie Madison and Kieran Phillipe, at the dress rehearsal for “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” at DVC on March 13, 2015.

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Thursday, March 19 - Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Piano Department builds legacy Continued from Page 1 smooth transitions between serious and playful sections of the piece.

Another unique element of the concert was the incorporation of soprano Emily Rae Fealy and baritone Toran Davenport, who both conveyed the deep sense of feeling in their songs despite the fact that they were both in foreign languages.

“Each pianist has their own style,” says program director Bruce Cook.

He is passionate about his students and even keeps in touch with many who have gone on to complete graduate programs.

Ronni Jackl has been a student in the piano department for, as she put it, “many years,” but she still says she continues to learn from the class. “Every semester you’re getting better and playing new music,” she says.

In contrast, Kara Lenci performed Brahms’ “Waltz in A, Op. 39, No. 15” with the skill of a welltrained pianist, and she’s only 17 years old.

Another student who started the program at a young age is Stella Vivian, 18, who came to DVC from Indonesia when she was 16 years old and now plans to transfer to a four-year school and study piano performance.

Professor Cook quickly pointed that CSU Fullerton accepted her on the spot at her audition.

“I had to fight for everything I have,” Vivian says as she recounts

SHANE LOUIS / The Inquirer

Piano student Kara Lenci, 17, performs Brahms’ “Waltz in A, Op. 39, No. 15” at the Advanced Piano and Piano Ensemble concert on Thursday, March 12 in the DVC music building how her family was not excited about her pursuing a career in music. “Music is the one thing I really enjoy.” Two years in the DVC music program has helped her prepare to transfer.

Margie Tong and Megan Mui are both a part of the pedagogy class, which they say has taught them how to teach.

“I had been teaching one student before,” Mui says. “But now it’s challenging because we teach groups. ” She originally attended DVC from 2008-2010, and after completing her bachelors degree at University of California at San Diego, she came back to defer student loans and continue learning.

Tong currently teaches afterschool programs in Orinda. She says she came back to DVC after graduating from CSU Chico specifically to take music theory, but she ended up helping with the pedagogy class as well. “I’ve learned a lot from research, reading and observing how other teachers here teach,” she says.

Tong understands music is being connected, and Mui agrees: “I come back to it because I miss the community.”

More information about the piano classes and concerts are available on the DVC website.

Contact SHANE LOUIS at SLouis@DVCInquirer.com

Jazz combos get funky at spring concert COOPER MEAD Staff member

COOPER MEAD / The Inquirer

Martin Lejano performs with The Big Bad Four at the DVC jazz combos concert on Tuesday, March 10 in the music building.

The Diablo Valley jazz combos night awed the audience with exellent music and great atmosphere.

The jazz combo night is twice a semester in music classroom 101. The show was lead

by DVC Music Professor Matt Zebley. With only a half dozen lines throughout the show Zebley left most of the jamming to the students, and jam they did.

The show began with the first of four student bands, the aptly named Phunq got things going with a rendition of Miles Davis’ “So What.” Phunq’s bassist, ironically also named Miles Davis, really shined during his solo in this number. Their next number really flexed their musical muscles, they were the only group with a vocalist that night, with Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “So Danco Samba,” in its native Portuguese.

Their vocalist Scott Zhang danced through the difficult lilting lyrics of the Portuguese chorus. True to their name they rounded out the set with “The Chicken” by Pee Wee Ellis. “We wanted to do a funkier style song so we chose [The Chicken],” said Harrison Flynn, one of Phonq’s guitar players, and a 20 year old music major. “It’s got a heavy bass line and I got to rock a little bit more with my solo.”

Next up to the stage was the quintet of Thronwood Mango, featuring dual tenor saxophones. They immediately took advantage of their woodwind largess with Welden Irvine’s “Mr. Clean.” They then started in on

their own version of “So Danco Samba,” The band ratcheted things up in the end with “Big Bertha” by Duke Pearson.

Meera, which is Farsi for pure sound, did nothing to disprove that trend as the next band up. The classic jazz quartet began with Sonny Rollins’ piece, “Blue Seven” and subsequently sped things up with “Impressions” in a manner that would have done John Coltrane proud.

“We wanted to challenge ourselves, so we picked hard songs to play,” said Meera’s electric bassist Navid Naima, 30. However, their best song was a soulful original rendition of “Beauty and the Beast,” originally by Wayne Shorter. Matthew Bridges on the tenor sax really got down with this piece, which finished their set.

The house was so full people were standing in the aisles when the Big Bad Four took the stage. They made this a night of funk, talking up the crowd before opening up with a guitar solo that left eyes closed to the sound and feet tapping to the beat.

“Our ‘Night of Funk’ show took about a couple of weeks to program, maybe six or seven rehearsals together,” said trumpet player Martin Lejano, 20.

The magic continued through their series of funk fueled escapades that had the house stamping and stomping, hooting and hollering before the night was through.

Contact COOPER MEAD at CMead@DVCInquirer.com