Clarinetist to deliver short history of the big bands.Byline: Carolyn Lamberson The Register-Guard It's a history of big band music, told in 90 minutes and 32 seconds. Really, that's how the folks at the Shedd are billing clarinetist Ken Peplowski's show on Friday. But whatever you do, don't time him. It's possible he might run a second or two long. `I think it's going to be fun for everybody and it's going to be a lot of music packed into 90 minutes and however many seconds it is,' Peplowski said in a phone interview from New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . `They can lower the curtain when I've reached my time limit.' Peplowski said he always likes to do something different whenever he plays Eugene and the Shedd, which is frequently. `I like putting together concepts and trying to find a way to make jazz more palatable to the average person,' he said. "I think these days their eyes glaze over glaze over Verb to become dull through boredom or inattention: the listener's eyes glaze over Verb 1. to the same degree that they would if you started talking about opera or dance.' He takes his cue from Duke Ellington, who would, during a concert, mix up hits such as "Satin Doll" and "Take the A Train" with experimental pieces or other extended works. Thus, Peplowski's program on Friday will feature some of the expected - Benny Goodman Noun 1. Benny Goodman - United States clarinetist who in 1934 formed a big band (including black as well as white musicians) and introduced a kind of jazz known as swing (1909-1986) Benjamin David Goodman, Goodman, King of Swing , Artie Shaw Noun 1. Artie Shaw - United States clarinetist and leader of a swing band (1910-2004) Arthur Jacob Arshawsky, Shaw - along with some Ellington and Count Basie. He'll also bring some pieces that he calls `really weird" and "almost third streamish." He'll do Dizzy Gillespie's first arrangement of "Night in Tunisia." He also will perform two works originally written for Goodman. One is by jazz trumpeter Johnny Carisi that was written in the 1960s and is based on Bulgarian themes. The other, by Alec Wilder Alec Wilder (born Alexander Lafayette Chew Wilder in Rochester, New York, February 16, 1907; d. Gainesville, Florida, December 24, 1980) was an American composer. , was composed in the 1940s. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. the story, Goodman and his band played about half of the song, called "Clarinet in Springtime," before abandoning it, possibly because it was too difficult, Peplowski said. Wilder then threw the piece in the trash. But his friend Jim Maher asked if he could keep the score. `Years later, (Maher) gave me the score, and I had the parts copied out, and it's this beautiful kind of impressionist piece that's wholly written,' Peplowski said. Add to all this a few pieces written specifically for Peplowski, and jazz fans can expect a full night. Along for the ride will be members of the Emerald Valley Jazz Kings, who will serve as Peplowski's big band for the night. A special guest, singer-songwriter Dave Frishberg Dave Frishberg (born 23 March 1933) is an American jazz pianist, vocalist and composer born in St. Paul, Minnesota, perhaps best-known for his work with Ben Webster, Gene Krupa, Bud Freeman, Eddie Condon, Al Cohn and Zoot Sims. , will bring his distinctive piano playing piano playing Neurology A fanciful descriptor for finger movements linked to the loss of position sensation, in which the Pt seeks to discover finger position in space by periodic movement; PP occurs in Dejerine-Sottas syndrome; PP also refers to intermittent to the mix. `I love the way he plays piano,' Peplowski said. "Everybody always thinks of his songs and his singing, but he's a really quirky, inventive, piano player and I love that style of play. I love guys that make me play differently by what they do, and Dave does that.' CONCERT PREVIEW Ken Peplowski Ken Peplowski (b. May 23, 1959) is a jazz clarinetist born in Cleveland, Ohio, known primarily for playing in the swing music idiom. He is sometimes compared to Benny Goodman in terms of tone and virtuosity. With: David Frishberg and members of the Emerald Valley Jazz Kings When: 7:30 p.m. Friday Where: Jaqua Concert Hall, the Shedd, 285 E. Broadway How much: Tickets $23-$32, available through the Shedd ticket office, 434-7000 or (800) 248-1615 |
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