By Alycia Timm | Echo
The Taylor University Jazz Ensemble performed at the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival and Medinah Baptist Church in Medinah, Ill., on Feb. 21-23. They shone during the weekend event, achieving excellent ratings among 30 other college bands, including some big name schools such as Illinois State and Michigan State.
The four songs the band chose to play, "One for Woody," "Trouble in Taipei," "Dreamsville" and "Mambo," each showed the band's variety of styles and techniques. They were rewarded at the end of their songs with a great crowd response and congratulations from the prestigious judges, including musician Andy Martin. Martin, a nationally known trombonist who has released 12 albums, recently played the trombone for the score of the movie "Frozen."
Three Taylor students won outstanding solo performance awards-junior Joel Helms on trombone, junior Dan Clemens on trumpet and senior Stephen Gilliland on percussion and vibraphone.
Helms was intimidated going to a jazz festival where big-name schools such as Illinois State were playing, but he was satisfied knowing he could play on their level. He played solos during the songs "Taipei" and "Mambo."
"When it was my turn to solo, I just stepped up and imagined playing just a smooth, polished and beautiful solo," Helms recalled. "What came out of my horn was pretty close to that, and I was really happy with my solo overall."
Gilliland shared Helm's excitement.
"It must have all lined up at the right time!" Gilliand said. "Soloing is tricky because part of it depends on skill and practice, and the other part really depends on how jazzy I feel that day," he said. Gilliland starred in short drum solos on a Latin tune and a vibraphone solo on a fast swing number.
The band performed for a worship service at Medinah Baptist Church to close the eventful weekend. The ensemble began the service by playing their set as a prelude. Members of the band also played with the worship team throughout the rest of the service, sharing Taylor's musical accomplishments with the people of Medinah Baptist Church.
(Thumbnail photograph courtesy of Medinah Baptist Church)
