Names like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Woody Herman, and Stan Kenton may not be familiar to everyone, but a Sweden resident hopes to revitalize what these famous musicians popularized back in the 1940s Big Band Jazz music. Twenty-one members of the Brockport Community Big Band, directed by Neil Hartwick, share the same love for that toe-tapping music. Together they keep a piece of music history alive for listeners. “Big band jazz has become difficult to market because of expense,” said Hartwick. “People couldn’t afford to hire 20 musicians to play; so most are quartets or quintets.” Directing a big band has always been Hartwick’s goal. A call he received from Lorie Bryant made his goal a reality. The two dedicated musicians had traveled in the same circles but had never met before the band brought them together in December 2004. Bryant had been a member of another community big band and it was her dream to start a big band in her own town. Just four months after she posted flyers and ran newspaper ads, the band was complete with full saxophone, trumpet, trombone and rhythm sections. Once Bryant had the band in place, she needed to find a leader. “As I started making phone calls, Hartwick’s name came up numerous times,” Bryant said. “I instantly said that I would direct the band,” Hartwick said. The band started rehearsing in January 2005 and made their debut performance at Brockport’s A.D. Oliver Middle School in April. Just over a year later, the band is picking up momentum and sharing their love for music and their talent with the community. For a fundraising event at the Skoog Farm, the group learned 40 arrangements in just a few weeks. They’ve also performed at Brockport community events in Sagawa Park and the Morgan Manning House. Word also has spread to other localities: in June, the band is booked for an American Cancer Society fundraiser in Spencerport. Bryant, who handles all the events for the band, recently booked a performance at the Charlotte Gazebo in July. The band rehearses at Brockport’s Middle School through the district’s Adult and Continuing Education Program. “The Brockport School District and Superintendent James Fallon have been very supportive of our group,” Hartwick said. Hartwick also hopes to hold concerts at neighboring SUNY Brockport to share their music with college-age students. “This band has so much talent,” Hartwick said. “I really didn’t know what to expect so I started with less complex music in case people hadn’t played in years. I soon found out that they are all really accomplished musicians.” Hartwick also shares the love of music with his wife, Nancy, who plays the saxophone in the big band and, like Neil, retired from the School District in 1999. Nancy was band director at the middle school. Many band members are graduates of Brockport High School and some have gone on to professional music careers and then returned to their roots in Brockport. Trombonist Joanne Zimmerman is the current band director at Brockport’s Middle School and others have similar roles at neighboring schools. Among the members are two local dentists, a teacher, and some retirees. Saxophone player Mark Ketchum owns Allegro Music in Brockport. He repairs and rents instruments to beginning music students. Clarinetist Heather Sutton joined the band with her father, Jim, who plays trumpet. Trumpet player Fred Clasquin has played in other bands. “They didn’t quite have the enthusiasm as this one has,” he said. Clasquin recalls that he hasn’t played in a band of this nature since he was in the Army. “I really missed this type of music,” he said. “If you don’t keep it alive it will die out.” Though the members come from all walks of life, they share the common goal of their love for music and wanting to give back to the community. Hartwick was surprised to meet a student he directed 25 years ago at a high school All County performance. “I still have the album,” said saxophone player Conrad Ziarniak. “We sounded very good for a high school band. Neil has a knack for helping people play their best.” Ziarniak studied music at SUNY Fredonia School of Music and made professional recordings in New York City. In 1991 he moved back to the Brockport area and put the horns away. For him, seeing the poster for the band in a local coffee shop was the catalyst for him to pick up his saxophone again. “Neil is a tremendous asset,” said Ziarniak. “He has loads of energy and he brings out the best of people improving their music ability.” The youngest member of the adult band is 20-year-old saxophone player Brad Mudrzynski, a SUNY Brockport student from Elba. Mudrzynski received independent study credit last semester for being a member of the band and continues to play with the band because he enjoys that type of music and being with the great people. He remembers back to when Mr. Hartwick filled in at his high school as band director and was excited to have an opportunity to work with him again. Bass player David Pinto, a graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston, learned about the band through a friend and travels to rehearsals from his home in Rochester. Pinto enjoys expressing himself musically in the unique big band format. “I continue to make the weekly drive from Rochester because under Neil Hartwick the band has become a relatively sophisticated community group playing some very original, challenging music,” Pinto said. “Playing in a big band is like playing in a small orchestra. When you have more than 20 instruments filling out the harmony, the music is very lush and very powerful.” One of the many groups he performs with is the Ann Mitchell Jazz Trio, a local band from Brockport performing all over Monroe County. No matter where they are from or what they do, one thing is for certain — this talented group of musicians is like a family. And, with Hartwick at the helm, Big Band music in Brockport will continue to be, well, big. Brockport Community Big Band upcoming performances
Performances are free and open to the public. Band members:
March 19, 2006 |
