28 THE COURIER SUN • GIRLS WORLD EXPO • MARCH 12, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com ST. FRANCIS PREP’S PREMIERE ENSEMBLES TO PERFORM A NIGHT OF JAZZ AND POP WITH SPECIAL GUESTS Fresh Meadows, NY – On Friday, March 20th, the four premiere ensembles from St. Francis Prep’s Music Department will be presenting their annual Jazz/Pop Concert. Originally a vehicle for Prep’s Jazz Band, the concert has developed as a showcase for the top groups from from each component of the program, namely the Jazz Band, Chamber Choir, Honors Percussion Ensemble, and Chamber Orchestra. When asked if he was looking forward to the concert, senior saxophonist William Capistrano immediately replied, “Absolutely!” He went to to say that, “we get to play all our favorite selections, and we’re not limited in terms of time like we are with bigger concerts that include all of Prep’s ensembles.” Senior drummer Gabriel Godoy spoke about how this concerts allows students to be more individually expressive, given the nature of the music. In looking back on what will be his last Jazz/Pop concert, he exclaimed, “I’m so happy I joined Jazz Band three years ago!” Repertoire for the evening will feature a wide variety of music, including rock favorites like Sweet Child O’ Mine, originally recorded by Guns N’ Roses, Good Riddance (The Time of Your Life), orginally recorded by Green Day, and the big band standard Sing, Sing, Sing. In addition to the Prep ensembles, the Jazz Band from Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy will have the opportunity to share the stage with their older counterparts. This is part of Prep’s Music Department’s initiative to involve local schools and younger musicians in Prep concerts. Longtime Music department chairperson, Dr. Robert Corbino spoke to this, saying, “they’re part of the larger community, and are the young musicians that will bring up the future.” Fourth and fifth grade violin students from P.S. 115 will also be performing alongside Prep’s Chamber Orchestra. Prep’s Director of String Studies, Robert L. Johnston added, “This is a great opportunity for the younger students to perform with high schoolers that they look up to. For the high schoolers, it gives them a perspective of where they’ve come from, and how much they’ve grown since they were that age.” But the special guest of the evening will be New Orleans musician, Davell Crawford. This promisses to be a special experience for Prep’s student musicians to work directly with one of the shining lights in the field. Crawford will not only perform as a soloist, but also with Prep ensembles. Crawford’s biography reads, “Singer and pianist Davell Crawford continues the New Orleans piano tradition begun by musicians like Professor Longhair and James Booker. Crawford is the grandson of 1950s R&B star James “Sugar Boy” Crawford. His debut record, Let Them Talk (1995, Rounder Records), amply demonstrates his gospel, R&B and jazz influences. His gift for ballad singing St. Francis Prep’s Jazz Band under the direction of Dr. Robert Corbino is on display in full force, and he’s accompanied by some of the Crescent City’s top musicians, including drummer Herman Ernest III and saxophonist Alvin “Red” Tyler. Crawford has been playing piano since he was seven and first toured Europe in his early teens. Although Crawford didn’t know his grandfather was a musician, the elder Crawford did give a set of keyboards to him when he was 11. Like other young New Orleans musicians, Crawford brings a synthesis of styles (i.e., jazz, funk, gospel, and R&B) to his piano playing, songwriting and singing. His recordings include 1995’s Let Them Talk, 1996’s Just Friends, 1998’s B-3 and Me, 1999’s Love Like Yours and Mine, and 2013’s My Gift to You.” The concert is on Friday, March 20th, at 7:45PM in St. Francis Prep’s Brother Ralph Clifford Memorial Auditorium, 6100 Francis Lewis Boulevard in Fresh Meadows, Queens. General admission tickets are $5 and are available at the door on the night of the show. For more information, please call Dr. Robert Corbino, St. Francis Prep’s Chairperson of Music at (718) 423-8810, St. Francis Prep’s Chamber Choir ese are the years that will make you who you are. is is where you should spend them. - W T, J E, NY 718-297-2120 • www.tmla.org For a day at TMLA e-mail: [email protected] Sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, NY Accredited by the New York State Board of Regents & Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
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