| News May 5, 2005 A
New Lease on Band Life by Dave
Richards, Erie Times
Staff writer Talk about a new lease on life. Since they found a new home -- and consequently adopted a new name -- the Gem City Concert and Jazz Bands are standing tall as a gladiator. Membership is up, they're playing out more often, and they've added more charts -- including many contemporary ones -- to their repertoire. The result is a revitalized Gem City that can't wait for rehearsals, let alone show time. The Gem City bands -- which were formerly based out of East Erie Turners -- will present their concert-band performance on Tuesday at St. John's Parish Center. The jazz band plays at the same venue on May 17. "We're real enthusiastic," said Chuck Cassano, who plays trumpet and is also president of the Gem City bands. "We're getting some real super participation from the people in the band. They're taking a big interest in it. "At the Turners, it was getting kind of ho-hum. A lot of times, we'd start a practice, and there'd be a minimal amount of people. Now everyone pops up the first night, rarin' to go. It's encouraging." The tide started changing after co-directors Tim and Betty McKinney took over four years ago. McKinney said just six players showed for his first rehearsal. But by the end of his first year, he consistently led a 20-member band. Enthusiasm swelled in October 2003, after Gem City -- which was homeless for a spell -- was offered a new rehearsal space at St. John's. The concert band now numbers 36 performers, which is low compared with the glory days of 60-member concert bands. Still, the pendulum's back on the upswing, and Gem City continues to seek new players, especially on flute and percussion. Tim McKinney said the band got new life when St. John offered use of its center, in exchange for the bands playing two concerts per year. "It's working out great,"McKinney said. "We're trying to play out as much as possible. The members are excited, and they're enjoying what they're doing." The beefed-up repertoire adds to the fun, said Cassano. "There's a whole new library that Tim has collected, and they're super arrangements. These aren't the watered-down things. This is the real stuff," Cassano said. "Tim knows people all over the U.S. and up in Canada, and he has someone in England. He swapped charts back and forth and has a library of over 700 jazz arrangements. Right, now we have around 60 or 65 we can play as a jazz group." McKinney said it was time for a catalogue overhaul. "Over the past years, they kept pulling out what I call the old chestnuts -- the ones that were in the files for 50 years," said McKinney. "I said, 'Let's upgrade the music. I just retired. Let me pick some stuff I think will work,' and Betty helped me." They picked some movie themes, including "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "1941." They added a Frank Sinatra medley, arranged by Jerry Nowak, and some George Gershwin. They'll feature those and more -- including the rousing march "Them Bases" -- on Tuesday. After introducing new arrangements, McKinney noticed an immediate upswing in both bands' performance and enthusiasm. "Our attendance improved,"McKinney said. "They wanted to play the music. It was the same with the jazz band; we started playing more current music. Everything just exploded. It's really nice to see it happen." The program for the 20-member jazz band performance on May 17 will include such contemporary fare as Gerry Rafferty's hit "Baker Street," Marvin Gaye's "How Sweet It Is," Thelonious Monk's legendary "Straight No Chaser," and "Birdland" by Joseph Zawinul. It'll also feature "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," sung by guest vocalist Duane Kraus. Tim McKinney said he and his musicians began realizing how much they've improved when they listened to recordings of their recent concerts. That woke them up. "They were like, 'Is that us? We sound that good?' And I said, 'Yes, you sound that good.' All of a sudden it was, 'Hey -- can you burn me a CD of that concert'" When you're good enough to bootleg yourself, you know you're standing tall.
Gem City Jazz Band will perform May 17 at 7 p.m. at St. John's Parish Center, 2216 Peach St. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. For More Information on Gem City Bands, see www.gemcitybands.org. |
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