Juilliard Jazz Ensemble's Student Works - Original Compositions "What We Hear"

Last night those who braved the threat of snow which was a no show until now, we were rewarded hearing the ensemble's own compositions.  Aaron Flagg, Chair & Assoc. Dir. of Juilliard's Jazz, said these talented musicians wrote their own compositions "to help {their} colleagues understand each other's vision."  Guest coach Dave Douglas said, "Each member was finding their own sounds."  The ensemble consisted of two trombonists, two bassists, guitarist and drummer. Each composer/musician wrote scores & arrangements for their fellow bandmates.  I noted the composers featured solos for an instrument other than their own.  The musicians gave a brief intros to their pieces, what their reference was to & what they were trying to achieve.  Bass player Adam Olszewski's "Styxian Currents" was seeking a new texture unique to a 2-bass instrumentation while bringing in 2 trombones in a melodic frame.  He said the result sounded to him like the flowing of a river.  I found this too in the hypnotic, exotic & jazzy sounds with the trombone solo's wavering & repeating melody.  Jeffrey Miller on trombone dedicated his composition "Patricia" to his grandmother who raised his twin sister & him after their mother passed away when they were 1 1/2 & his grandmother 50.   His grandmother hasn't heard it yet but he looks forward to having it performed in her honor.  The piece was lovely.  He arranged one bass player to use his bow while the other plucked the bass.  Perhaps, this was to show the harmony & differences between him & his sibling.  Jacob Kelberman had a political agenda to his work "The Problem We All Live With" taken from the title of the famous painting by Norman Rockwell of a young black girl being escorted into school by 4 Nat'l Guardsmen when integration was first federally mandated and met with violent confrontations.  He said he wanted the piece to resonate today with the social unrest in our nation.  The music was strident, percussive and powerful.  It was an outstanding work.  My favorite composition on the evening was the last piece by bass player Mark Lewandowski who hails from the UK.  He found himself being towed while in northern England and while sitting up front with the driver he first heard music by Burt Bacharach.  He was particularly taken with the music's phrasing and with Dionne Warwick singing "I'll Never Fall in Love Again."  I'm a Bacharach & Warwick fan, too.  His piece was titled "Burt".  Burt, if you're out there, I think you'd find a great collaborator here; the piece was very appealing.  I offer congratulations to the entire emsemble on your creativity, originality, collaboration and leadership.  As Mr. Flagg said to me on the way out "They all learned how to tell the other what they wanted from each other."  A great life lesson.  Next: Wynton Marsalis directs Juilliard Jazz Orch.