Jazz Band to perform in concert April 28

The Luther College Jazz Band under the direction of Tom Bourcier will perform in concert Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall.

The concert is open to the public with no charge for admission.

The Jazz Band will perform “The Heat’s On” by Count Basie Band arranger Sammy Nestico, as well as Dizzy Gillespie’s classic, “A Night in Tunisia.”  Rounding out the first half of the concert are Quincy Jones’ “The Witching Hour,” and a vocal arrangement of “Deed I Do,” made popular by Diane Schuur and the Count Basie Band.

The intermission portion of the program will feature music performed by the Luther College Jazz Quintet, a new ensemble created by Bourcier to highlight exceptional student jazz musicians and emphasize faculty/student collaboration in live performance.

Contemporary big band arrangements close the program with compositions by Herbie Hancock, Alan Brandt, Jeff Jarvis and an epic Bob Curnow arrangement of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays’ perennial hit, “The First Circle.”

Bourcier is an instructor of music at Luther, where he teaches improvisation, directs the Jazz Band, and serves as a composer and accompanist for the Luther theatre/dance department. 

He has performed across the United States, Europe and the Caribbean in varying musical genres including jazz, classical, rock, folk and blues, avant-garde and improvisational. He is currently a member of the Bourcier, Julin and Wolff trio, performing original compositions in jazz, tango, and folk and blues styles.