Rehearsal

Every Monday afternoon at five eight or nine venturesome souls join together to play and sing jazz tunes. These are not kids in a garage. These are serious adults (academics) who enjoy music in the tradition of the true American art form of Jazz. With its roots in the rhythms of African American folk music and the creative genius of countless musicians, both black and white, Jazz has become a gift to the world.

The Lasell Jazz Ensemble, keyboard, electric guitar, electric and upright bass, drums and vocals have been together for six years. Performing at College functions, at the Lasell Village - a retirement community on campus, and at Ryles Sunday Brunch in Cambridge, the LJE repetoire has run the gamut of jazz ...... Coltrane to McCartny; Torme to Gay; Joabim to Wonder, no tune is to humble to be given the treatment!

The vocalists, Michele, Richard, Jane and Joe try their best to create harmonies and riffs to remember. The band - Harvey on keyboard, Jeff on guitar, Matt on bass (electric or upright) and Nick on drums pull it altogether most of the time. All of the Ensemble players are either faculty or staff with the exception of Nick who is a grad student. Al have had music backgrounds of sorts. Harvey is a music professor and arranger for the group.

The Ensemble is a group of folks with roots in education. Yet each is learning something about themselves within the sounds of their music making. The Lasell student audience is surprized to see the finance professor, the IT guy, the Director of Financial Aid letting all go during a rendition of "What's Going' On"!

The video is a small story. The band warms-up; the band plays; the band clears the rehearsal space ( a small performance center on campus). If you listen carefully, a whistler is heard on the Rev.Al Greene's "Take me to the River". It's groovy!

JOS