May 7, 2004

JAZZ

‘Little Big Band’

Debut features mix of new and familiar faces

   The new 10-piece ensemble debuts May 15 at 8 p.m. in Milliken Auditorium’s season concert finale. The band blends local and national talent performing jazz originals and standards.

   Along with Haas is Marcus Belgrave and Rob Smith on trumpet, George Benson and Laurie Sears on saxophone and flute, Mike Hunter on trombone, Marion Hayden on bass, Alex Trajano on drums and John Alfieri on percussion. Joining them are vocalists Janice Keegan and Claudia Schmidt.

   A newcomer to the group is bassist Marion Hayden, on board after longtime colleague bassist Chuck Hall decided to take a two-year hiatus from music. Hayden’s a founding member of the longtime acclaimed group Straight Ahead and is a first-call bassist for national musicians performing in the metro Detroit area.

   “Marcus (Belgrave) recommended Marion,” said Haas. “I have worked with Marion for the last two months and she brings great energy and creativity to the bandstand. She just won a Detroit Music Award and she beat me out in that category. I am really looking forward to introducing her to Traverse City audiences.”

   Haas has been composing “like a fiend lately” and estimates that he has more than 90 compositions in his book of originals from the last decade. A dozen of the songs are brand new. Haas likes to take a composition and perform it to audiences as a work in progress. This somewhat unorthodox approach can make some of his fellow musicians a bit nervous.

    “It takes about six months for a song to be what it eventually will be,” said Haas. “A composition, to some extent, is a documentary of what’s going on in my head. But I also have the added benefit of having a band to compose for and knowing the strengths of all the players, what engages them. It’s my tune plus the collective energy of who is playing it. Then it takes shape from the audiences’ response.”

   The debut of the Jeff Haas Little Big Band will feature a mix of his new and familiar originals as well as some jazz classics. Pete Asch, a musician who has worked with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, has arranged several standards for the group including “All or Nothing At All” and “Morning” (with vocals by Keegan) as well as a few Ellington tunes, “I’m Beginning to See the Light” and “Caravan” (vocals by Schmidt).

   Haas has created the arrangements for his original compositions for the 10-piece ensemble. And for the first time, he has collaborated on his pieces, with Claudia Schmidt writing lyrics for several songs.

   “We will be performing two of these tunes, with Claudia on vocals,” said Haas. “One is called ‘Tsuris,’ which will be familiar to our audience. The other is a tune I wrote two weeks before my daughter was born, called ‘Contemplating the Arrival.’”

   That arrival would be Sophie, Haas and wife Kate Pearson’s 28-month-old daughter.

   Ultimately, the goal for the Jeff Haas Little Big Band, he said, “is to play enough together to see how the band’s sound evolves. It will take time, rehearsal and opportunities to perform. There’s also the financial and logistic challenges — the cost of salary, travel and lodging for these musicians, plus getting them together.

   “We want to try Traverse City first ... to build confidence in what we’re doing. Our Traverse City audiences have always been outrageously supportive.”

   Tickets are $22 in advance and $25 at the door. For tickets, contact the box office from 1-6 p.m. at 995-1553.