By Mike Greife,
October 14, 2016
WARRENSBURG, MO – The University of Central Missouri’s Performing Arts Series and
the Department of Music will present the Commodores, the United States Navy Band’s
jazz ensemble from Washington, D.C., in a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct.
25, in Hendricks Hall on the UCM campus in Warrensburg.
The Navy Band Commodores feature 19 top jazz and “big band” musicians offering a mixture
of styles ranging from the authentic sounds of the swing era to the contemporary high-energy
music. The list of guest artists that have appeared with the Commodores include Ray
Charles, Branford Marsalis, Clark Terry, Grover Washington, Jr., Chris Potter, Jerry
Bergonzi, Eddie Daniels, James Moody and many more.
The group has appeared on television shows, played nearly all major jazz festivals
and toured across the United States and abroad. In conjunction with the U.S. Air Force
Airmen of Note and the U.S. Army Blues, the Commodores host their own annual jazz
festival, the Joint Service Jazz Festival, in Washington, D.C.
As a versatile and relevant musical organization in the 21st century, the Commodores
write and arrange much of their vast library of music. Their concerts are an eclectic
mix of traditional big band music, exciting jazz vocal arrangements, as well as fresh
new instrumental music written specifically for the Commodores of today. This vibrant,
dynamic musical group is constantly striving for musical excellence and the pursuit
of new and exciting ways to communicate with their audiences. Their most recent recording,
“Directions,” was released in 2009 to critical acclaim.
The concert is free, but tickets are required. General admission tickets are available
online at ucmpas.com, at the Central Tickets Box Office from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday-Friday,
in Administration 100, by calling 660-543-8888, and one hour prior to show time.
This special performance by the Navy’s premier jazz ensemble is part of the Navy Band
Commodores’ national tour.
