‘Burning cat’ Oberholtzer jumps and jives with USU jazz bands
The music department’s big bands – the Jazz Orchestra, directed by Dr. Jon Gudmunsen and the Jazz Ensemble directed by Dr. Todd Fallis – played to a roaring crowd of 800 people in the Kent Concert Hall Wednesday night.
The performance was the first of several for the school year and featured professional trombonist Chris Oberholtzer.
“This is unusual,” Fallis told the audience. “We usually don’t get a guest performer until the end of the year. We’re very fortunate to have Chris tonight.”
Oberholtzer, a freelance trombonist who plays regularly with the Artie Shaw Orchestra and also heads the jazz department of the University of Southern Maine was in town for a three day “teaching/playing gig.”
Besides performing Wednesday with both bands, Oberholtzer conducted jazz improvisation clinics and one-on-one sessions with the department’s student trombonists earlier in the week.
“When it comes to playing music, a lot of the guest performers are burning cats – they play the heck out of the music. But most of them don’t teach as well as they play,” Fallis said. “[Oberholtzer] is great at both. The kids got to learn from his talent, not just observe it.”
Trombonist David Sweeney, a sophomore majoring in music education, said he learned a lot from his one-on-one time with Oberholtzer. Sweeney said he and Oberholtzer listened to jazz charts together, playing along to the music.
“We’d trade off. I’d listen to him play, get some ideas in my head – then I’d play and he’d give me some pointers,” Sweeney said. “He taught me a lot about general blues solos and improvisation.”
Oberholtzer’s message of improvisation was brought to life in vivid detail Wednesday night when he took the stage with the bands.
With cheeks fully inflated, a face burning with redness and feet tapping to the beat, Oberholtzer bellowed out several high energy improvised solos, while the band played in unison.
But it was definitely not Oberholtzer’s show. Both bands played several songs a piece and featured a number of its own members as soloists.
In the mood cracking tune, “The Cheese That Time Forgot,” several of the jazz orchestra members had jiving solo’s of their own.
David Defay blared on the trumpet, Tyler Whitaker grooved on the alto saxophone and Sweeny howled on trombone.
“It’s my favorite thing in the world. I live and die for jazz,” Whittaker said. “It’s free, it’s fun – it drives my soul.”
For the finale, Oberholtzer and Gudmundson who have been friends for 12 years played alongside each other for the first time in three years.
At first the two traded off, Gudmundson jamming a riff on the baritone saxophone and then over to Oberholtzer on Trombone and back again. But during the last few moments of the song, the two played in unison.
Liberal arts sophomore Stacy Gudmundson (no relation to Jon), said she loved the final song.
“That last piece was so impressive,” Stacy said. “You can tell they’ve [Oberholtzer and Gudmundson] have played together before. I liked how they fed off each other.”
Oberholtzer said he loved being at USU.
“The student’s were a blast – they were warm, respectful and respective and played great tonight,” he said.
He also spoke of playing with Gudmundson.
“It’s a gas,” Oberholtzer said. “It feels great playing next to Jon again -brings back a lot of good memories.”
Gudmundson also enjoyed playing with Oberholtzer but mostly enjoyed watching his students.
“They did so well tonight,” Gudmundson said. It makes me feel good about our next concert in December and come spring they’ll be frightening – in a good way.”
-jrsaunders@cc.usu.edu