Photo Courtesy: Alexis Rejouis
Each semester, the Florida A&M University’s Jazz Ensemble holds a performance for students, faculty, staff, and the Tallahassee community, however, this time a special guest is included. World-renowned trombonist, Wycliffe Gordon, performed with the FAMU ensemble this Thursday at Lee Hall.
Gordon, a former FAMU student and jazz band member, returns to his alma mater to perform for the first time in Lee Hall. As Gordon speaks to the crowd, he reminisces on his past experiences while here at FAMU.
“Was it all good? No!” Gordon says. “It was all for the greater good because we always talked about overcoming all obstacles.” The addition of Gordon in this performance did not only serve to remind him of his college days but also to aid the band in a larger purpose. FAMU Jazz band has been invited to New Orleans for an international jazz conference.
According to Robert Griffin, a music associate professor and jazz studies director, the opportunity to showcase the band with an internationally recognized musician is ideal for the conference performance.
“Since we’re showcasing FAMU and the FAMU jazz band, they’d like to have your performers perform with a guest artist,” Griffin says. “The first person that came to my mind was Wycliffe Gordon.”
Additionally, the FAMU band aims to become more recognized by the students here now. Griffin tells a story where he was once told that FAMU’s jazz band was one of Florida’s bestkept secrets.
This was not particularly a compliment to him as the jazz band has produced successful musicians, and he wants to let that be known.
“We just need more visibility, more people to know what we do, and that all jazz is not old people’s music, because a lot of people have that misconception,” Griffin said.
Current jazz band member, Jordan Mongo, definitely does not subscribe to that misconception. Mongo, a member of the Marching 100 and other music organizations, has always had a passion for music.A passion for specifically jazz, however, is a more recent development.
“Jazz is a language as well, music is its own language, but jazz is a whole other section of music,” Mongo says. “From a person that hasn’t been playing jazz for a long time I really love jazz music, and it makes you feel so much better coming out of hearing jazz.”
As the band hopes to gain more attention while spreading the love of jazz, they add different styles and genres to reach all people.
“We’re trying to step out of our comfort zone, and we’re trying to go to different genres of music like R&B, pop, and even hip hop,” Aundre Conner, a bass player in the jazz band says. “Just trying to save the roots of the jazz repertoire, but increase it to other genres.”
The FAMU Jazz Ensemble’s collaboration with Wycliffe Gordon not only celebrated the past but also positioned the band for a successful future.