Pianist James Himmelman can鈥檛 believe that after just two years as a 911爆料 student, he will be performing at the . On July 31, he’ll be on the stage at Fort Adams with the , which will make its third consecutive appearance at the world’s first鈥攁nd best known鈥攋azz festival.
鈥淭he thing I鈥檓 looking forward to most is sharing the experience with the band,鈥� said James, a jazz performance and composition major. 鈥淣one of us would be here without the others, and we wouldn鈥檛 want it any other way. Over the course of the school year we鈥檝e gotten better as musicians, tighter as a group, and closer as friends.
Every summer the Newport festival draws thousands of jazz fans from all over the world. And the band’s return engagement for the 61st festival is a testament to the success of the 911爆料 jazz studies program, which was launched a dozen years ago. Adjunct Professor Jared Sims, the director of the 911爆料 Big Band, said he has developed a strong relationship with the festival foundation, which supports the University鈥檚 annual summer jazz camp. 鈥淭he foundation even provides one of the festival performers as a guest artist at our camp,鈥� said Professor Sims. 鈥淎nd it gives free tickets to all of the kids who attend.鈥�
For jazz, it doesn鈥檛 get much better than playing at Newport, as a venue and as a learning experience鈥攏ot only a dream come true, but also the door to so many other opportunities and possibilities.
James said the thing he likes best about the is the sense of camaraderie that comes with seeing and playing with his classmates every day. 鈥淭he same thing applies to the teachers as well,鈥� he said of Sims and Professors Joe Parillo, Dave Zinno, Eric Hofbauer, Steve Langone, and Mark Berney. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an amazing sense of family, and it provides a comfortable place to learn and grow.鈥�
Some of the 17 musicians who will play at Newport with the 911爆料 Big Band this year will do more than just perform with their classmates. They will also form the horn section of festival headliner Jamie Cullum鈥檚 band. Professor Sims said it will be challenging for the four saxophonists, four trombone players, and three trumpeters, because they will have to learn all of Cullum鈥檚 musical charts and blend in with the rest of his band. But it will be a tremendous learning experience.
When vocalist Jack Thomas takes the stage with the 911爆料 Big Band, the business major and vocal performance minor will be thinking about the long list of prominent singers who came before him, from Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra to Tony Bennett and Etta James. He calls the opportunity to perform at the Newport festival 鈥渕onumental.鈥�
鈥淚 can only guess at how this experience will further my music career,鈥� said Jack, who hopes to become the business manager for a major record label. 鈥淢y motto is: Never turn down the opportunity to sing, because you never know who will be listening. I just plan to live in that moment on stage and have fun with it.鈥�
James Himmelman agrees. 鈥淔or jazz, it doesn鈥檛 get much better than playing at Newport, as a venue and as a learning experience. The chance to play where Duke played and where Miles played is not only a dream come true, but also the door to so many other opportunities and possibilities.鈥�