MAC hosts ‘An Evening of Jazz’
Mineral Area College Department of Music is ready to host its annual “An Evening of Jazz” concert with jazz alto virtuoso and educator Jason Swagler as the special guest for this year’s concert, and the concert will also feature the MAC Jazz Ensemble and the MAC Kicks Band.
The concert will begin at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the MAC Fine Arts Theater, and admission is $5 at the door for general seating. For more information, contact Dr. Wood at 573-518-2256. The concert will also feature the MAC Jazz Ensemble and the MAC Kicks Band.
“Evening of Jazz is an opportunity for Mineral Area College to connect with our community and our students through America’s original art form: jazz,” said Dr. Bennett Wood, MAC director of Jazz Studies. “This year we welcome a truly fabulous saxophonist and educator in Jason Swagler. His robust sound and virtuosic technique on the alto saxophone have made him an essential part of the St. Louis music scene.”
“Jason Swagler is one of the most soulful and articulate alto saxophonists I have heard,” said Wood. “His brilliance as a performer is matched by an incredible gift for teaching music. I am thrilled that our students and our community have the opportunity to hear and learn from a musician of his caliber.”
According to Wood, in addition to his performance on Thursday night, Swagler will also be presenting free clinics to area high school jazz bands throughout the day.
“These [free clinics] provide a great opportunity for area band directors and their students to visit our campus, absorb knowledge from an excellent clinician and preview some of the experiences that we offer our students at MAC,” Wood said. “At MAC, we are fortunate to be surrounded by great high school music educators who lead strong music programs with innovative teaching techniques rooted in the jazz tradition.
“I look forward to hearing the developmental strides that each high school ensemble has made so far this semester.”
Jason Swagler plays his saxophone at the CD release concert for Matters of the Heart.
Macey Adams is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-518-3616 or madams@dailyjournalonline.com
