Southern Miss hosts jazz concert

The University of Southern Mississippi School of Music held a jazz concert Monday evening and will host another concert tonight in Bennett Auditorium.

USM graduate Ryan Raziano directed Monday’s concert performed by Jazz Lab Band II. He will follow up tonight with Larry Panella and direct Jazz Lab Band I at 7:30 p.m. The concert is open admission and free of charge.

“Ryan worked with us thoroughly for three days a week,” freshman Jyron Vickers said. “He was sure we were comfortable with the work. He is very detailed oriented.”

Raziano worked with both students new to the genre and students who have experience.

One jazz novice is senior opera student Angel Butler.

“Opera is black and jazz is white,” Butler said. “The only thing they have in common is that they both have music.”

Butler sang a version of “The Lady is a Tramp,” popularly performed by Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga.

Other arrangements played were “Treasure Hunt,” “The Blue Machine,” “Ballad for Stormy” and “High Five.”

“I enjoy having the experience of playing music from someone else’s point of view,” Raziano said.

The compositions are designed to leave room for improvisation and solos from many of the band members.

“It’s all about telling a story,” Patrick Hearns, a senior piano major, said.

Hearns said improvisation is similar to driving home while on the phone. The musician becomes so familiar with the composition that he or she can take many different paths to get to the same result.

“I try to sound like someone else while putting myself into the music,” Hearns said.

Tuesday’s performance is said to be an eclectic one and will feature Radiohead song “High and Dry.”

For more information about the concert, visit usm.edu/music or call 601-266-5543.