Concert Program
Large Ensemble Concert Series
NIU Jazz Ensemble
Rodrigo Villanueva, Director
Monday, November 17, 2025
7:00 p.m.
Boutell Memorial Concert Hall
Special Guest: Daisuke Kamiuchi, soprano saxophone
Concert Program
Program
Whisper Not - Benny Golson, arr. Michael Abene
Chart: “Whisper Not”
Composer(s): Benny Golson
Arranger(s): Michael Abene
Editor(s): Robert Curnow
Background:
Benny Golson’s “Whisper Not” is a smooth, soulful jazz tune that has become one of his most well-known and lasting pieces. Written in 1956 during Golson’s time with the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, it quickly became a favorite among jazz musicians and listeners alike. The song represents the hard bop style—a blend of bebop’s energy with blues and gospel influences—that was popularized by groups like Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. When speaking on writing the tune, Golson shared that he wrote the tune in only twenty minutes while at jazz promoter George Wein’s Storyville club in Boston. While it’s widely debated whether Dizzy Gillespie or Lee Morgan recorded it first, nearly every major jazz artist has performed or recorded the tune over the years. Along with his other classics like “I Remember Clifford,” “Along Came Betty,” and “Killer Joe,” it helped establish Golson as one of the greatest composers and arrangers of this genre.
Drummin' Man - Gene Krupa and Tiny Parham, arr. Rich DeRosa
Chart: “Drummin’ Man”
Composer(s): Gene Krupa and Tiny Parham
Arranger(s): Rich DeRosa
Editor(s): N/A
Background:
“Drummin’ Man”, written in 1939 by Tiny Parham, is a lively swing-era tune made famous by Gene Krupa and His Orchestra that established Krupa as one of the most influential drummers in the history of popular music. After leaving Benny Goodman’s orchestra, Krupa, eager to build his own identity as a drummer and bandleader, adapted “Drummin’ Man” to showcase his energetic style, showmanship, and rhythmic drive. Through the chart, Krupa proved that the drums could be more than just a part of the rhythm section—it could be the star of the show.
Big Dipper - Thad Jones
Chart: “Big Dipper”
Composer(s): Thad Jones
Arranger(s): Thad Jones
Editor(s): N/A
Background:
“Big Dipper” is a 1966 jazz composition by Thad Jones, written for the newly formed Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra and first performed during their debut residency at New York City’s Village Vanguard. The piece is an extended 16-bar blues that fuses Count Basie–style swing with Jones’s modern harmonies and rhythmic complexity. Originally commissioned by Count Basie for an album of Jones’s compositions, the project was never completed—Basie instead encouraged Jones to form his own band. The tune soon became one of the orchestra’s signature works, celebrated for its tight ensemble playing and vibrant brass writing. Today, “Big Dipper” remains a cornerstone of jazz education and performance, celebratorily performed by big bands around the world.
Fast Forward - Les Hooper
Chart: “Fast Forward”
Composer(s): Les Hooper
Arranger(s): Les Hooper
Editor(s): N/A
Background:
“Fast Forward” is a high-energy big band piece composed by Les Hooper in the late 1980s. Written in a fast bebop style, it features quick saxophone lines, tight brass hits, and driving rhythms that keep the music constantly moving forward—hence the title. The piece shows off Hooper’s clever writing and the band’s precision, with space for exciting solos. It’s both challenging and fun to play, making it a popular choice for advanced jazz ensembles. Today, “Fast Forward” stands out as one of Hooper’s most energetic and memorable works.
Frankie's Tune - Bob Mintzer
Chart: “Frankie’s Tune”
Composer(s): Bob Mintzer
Arranger(s): Bob Mintzer
Editor(s): N/A
Background:
“Frankie’s Tune” is a lively big band piece by composer and saxophonist Bob Mintzer. First recorded on Mintzer’s 1988 album Spectrum, the piece features a bright Latin-influenced groove combined with Mintzer’s modern harmonies and rhythmic energy. Written to showcase both ensemble precision and individual improvisation, it reflects Mintzer’s ability to blend strong rhythmic feels with contemporary big band writing. Over time, it has become one of his most popular charts, admired for its exciting interplay between rhythm and horn sections. Today, “Frankie’s Tune” remains a favorite in the large jazz ensembles’ repertoire, performed widely for its energy, sophistication, and infectious groove.
Prelude to a Kiss - Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Irving Gordon; arr. Billy Strayhorn
Chart: “Prelude To A Kiss”
Composer(s): Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Irving Gordon
Arranger(s): Billy Strayhorn
Editor(s): David Berger, Mark Lopeman
Background:
“Prelude to a Kiss” is a 1938 ballad composed by Duke Ellington. At the time, Ellington was exploring more adventurous harmonies and emotionally complex works, moving beyond the dance-oriented swing numbers that had made him famous. Within the context of his catalog, “Prelude to a Kiss” marked his shift toward mood pieces and tone poems, reflecting his growing interest in modern harmonic language. A few weeks after the instrumental version was recorded, publisher Irving Mills and songwriter Irving Gordon added lyrics, transforming it from a purely instrumental piece into a romantic ballad. The composition remains one of Ellington’s most admired works, celebrated for its “Ellingance”, harmonic richness, and emotional depth.
Ding Dong Ding - Bob Brookmeyer
Special guest: Daisuke Kamiuchi, soprano saxophone
Chart: “Ding Dong Ding”
Composer(s): Bob Brookmeyer
Arranger(s): Bob Brookmeyer
Editor(s): N/A
Background:
First recorded and released in early 1980 by Mel Lewis and The Jazz Orchestra, Bob Brookmeyer’s “Ding Dong Ding” uses a recurring three-note bell-like motif that drives the energy and motion of the entire piece. This simple motif is transformed through complex harmonies, changing meters, modulations, and innovative orchestration, all of which give the piece its distinctive character. The result is a bright, fast-paced work that feels both clever and unpredictable, full of Brookmeyer’s trademark humor and creativity. Mel Lewis describes the chart as “Bob’s version of a nursery rhyme,” an appropriate description for a piece that turns a simple excerpt into something delightfully complex.
Nutville - Horace Silver, arr. Greg Hopkins
Chart: “Nutville”
Composer(s): Horace Silver
Arranger(s): Greg Hopkins
Editor(s): N/A
Background:
“Nutville” is a 1965 composition by Horace Silver, written for his 1966 album The Cape Verdean Blues. A classic example of Silver’s hard bop style, it draws on blues and gospel influences and features bold, driving rhythms, punchy horn lines, heavy rhythmic accents, and melodic hooks that make the tune both lively and memorable. The album’s official description fittingly calls it a “relentless barnburner,” as it’s a hard-swinging, high-energy closer that showcases the band’s precision and intensity. Today, “Nutville” remains a favorite among jazz musicians and listeners alike, celebrated for its infectious groove and signature Silver’s style.
NIU Jazz Ensemble Personnel
Rodrigo Villanueva, director
Devin Mancera, alto saxophone
Jordan Pierson, alto saxophone
Declan Carter, tenor saxophone
Jonathan Alanis, tenor saxophone
Frederick Melki, baritone saxophone
Malcolm Lile, lead trumpet
Duke Allen, second trumpet
Marlowe Galvez, third trumpet
Zinnia Wedige, fourth trumpet
Chris Merino Dominguez, lead trombone
Sean Hamilton, second trombone
Malacai Sanders, third trombone
Rose Mary McClure, bass trombone
Mark Davis, piano
Caleb Webb, electric guitar
Kordale Hill, acoustic and electric basses
Morgan Tipton, drums and vibraphone
Axel Capetillo, drums and auxiliary percussion
Biography
Mark Davis
Pianist Mark Davis has been a mainstay on the Milwaukee jazz scene for over 35 years. His performances display a strong sense of tradition, incorporating the innovations of the bebop masters while still keeping an ear to more modern sensibilities. Whether playing solo or backed by a hard-swinging rhythm section, he features unique arrangements of jazz standards as well as originals that bear the influence of jazz icons such as Bill Evans and Bud Powell.
He began classical piano studies at age eight and soon took to improvising and composing. His teachers included Diane Andreoni, Adelaide Banaszynski, and David Hazeltine. He later studied with jazz legend Barry Harris, who remains one of Mark’s primary inspirations as a player and educator. Mark began performing in Milwaukee jazz clubs while still a teenager. He gained early experience playing in groups led by local stars such as Berkeley Fudge, Manty Ellis, and Hattush Alexander. After completing high school, his interest in visual art led him to pursue an art degree from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, where he graduated with highest honors in 1990. Mark returned to Milwaukee and taught and served as Chair of Jazz Studies at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music from 1992-2019. In 2019, he founded the Milwaukee Jazz Institute and currently serves as artistic director. Mark mentors many young, up-and-coming musicians. Many have gone on to successful music careers, most notably Dan Nimmer, who has been the pianist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra since 2005. Currently, Mark teaches lessons in his studio, offers online lessons, presents workshops through the Milwaukee Jazz Institute, and is the jazz piano instructor at Northern Illinois University.
Tickets
Tickets for School of Music concerts are available online only. There are prices for adults, seniors, faculty and staff and non-NIU students. NIU students are admitted free of charge to all performances with pre-reserved tickets. Most recitals are not ticketed.
Livestream
Most NIU concerts and recitals are available to watch on our livestream.
Upcoming Events
The NIU College of Visual and Performing arts puts on more than 200 live performances and exhibitions every year. See what’s coming up next in the School of Music, School of Art and Design, School of Theatre and Dance and the NIU Art Museum.