Ripon College Jazz Ensemble will perform spring concert April 22

The Ripon College Jazz Ensemble will present their spring concert Friday, April 22. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Demmer Recital Hall, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts. Admission is free and open to the public.

The 18-member ensemble, which features Ripon College students as well as Ripon faculty and staff and area community members, will present a wide variety of jazz music spanning almost 100 years. It also will be the last Jazz Ensemble concert for three of the group’s seniors: Jacob Zuehlke of Whitewater, Wisconsin, will be featured on Gil Evans’ arrangement of Léo Delibes “The Maids of Cadiz,” from the classic Miles Davis album “Miles Ahead”; and Lydia Wiley Deal of Whitewater, Wisconsin, and Allison Slowiak of Kiel, Wisconsin, will be featured on Kenny Wheeler’s “Gentle Piece.”

The concert also will feature the world premiere of “For Everyone,” composed and arranged by ensemble director Paul Dietrich, adjunct instructor of music.

Other pieces will be selected from “Across the Track Blues,” composed and arranged by Duke Ellington; “Boom-Boom,” composed and arranged by Bob Brookmeyer; “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat,” composed by Charles Mingus, arranged by Sy Johnson; “A Hymn for Her,” composed and arranged by Fred Sturm; and “Well, You Needn’t,” composed by Thelonious Monk, arranged by Joe Clark.

Members of the ensemble are:

• Woodwinds: Benjamin Cabala ’24 of Madison, Wisconsin, flute; Lydia Wiley Deal ’22 of Whitewater, Wisconsin, alto saxophone/bass/voice; Geoff Guevara-Geer, a Ripon College faculty member, tenor saxophone; Virginia Pollock of Green Lake, Wisconsin, tenor saxophone; Megan Steffes ’24 of Sherwood, Wisconsin, baritone saxophone; Morgan Sullivan ’25 of Kimberly, Wisconsin, alto saxophone.
 
• Low Brass: Evan Jensen ’24 of Stoughton, Wisconsin; Claire Lefeber ’23 of DeForest, Wisconsin; Haileey Pick ’25 of Temple, Texas; Ty Rondestvedt ’25 of Altoona, Wisconsin.
 
• Trumpets: Danielle Boerson of Ripon, Wisconsin; Kylar Kinyon ’23 of Benton Harbor, Michigan; Ruth Roltgen ’25 of Brandon, Wisconsin; Jacob Zuehlke ’22 of Whitewater, Wisconsin.
 
• Rhythm section: Erik Dietrich, a Ripon College staff member, bass; Ethan Hansen ’23 of Raymond, Wisconsin; Allison Slowiak ’22 of Kiel, Wisconsin, vibes; Steve Yeomans of Green Lake, Wisconsin, piano.

(Photo: Paul Dietrich)