Clark College Jazz Band Fall Concert Coming Nov. 18

Features jazz favs from Nestico, van Husen, Roland, and contemporary composers Sherburne, McGuinnes, and Neu

VANCOUVER, WA — The Clark College Jazz Band, under the direction of Dr. Doug Harris, presents their Fall Concert on Saturday, November 18, 7:30 pm in the Gaiser Student Center, Clark College Campus. Admission to the performance is free and open to the public. Donations to the Clark College Music Department are welcome at the door.

“The year has started off with a bang with several new band members and I’m excited to share our program,” said Harris.  “We’ll play music by Sammy Nestico and Jimmy van Huesen (both associated closely with the Count Basie Orchestra), Gene Roland (of Stan Kenton fame), and contemporary composers Erik Sherburne, Pete McGuiness and Andrew Neu, among others. We will, of course, be showcasing several of our outstanding soloists. Also, as part of our pre-celebration of the 60^th Annual Clark Jazz Festival, we will have a poetry reading by Clark student Kaylie Chavez of her jazz-inspired work, A Busy Street, as well as art work by Grant Hottle’s drawing class. We will also be sharing some very exciting news regarding the Jazz Festival…see you there!”

For complete information about all the Clark College Music Department concerts including the orchestra, concert band, jazz band, and choirs, please see http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/music/music-concerts.

Dr. Doug Harris is the Director of Bands at Clark College since 2018 after serving as Assistant Director of Bands at Western Kentucky University, and Director of Bands at both Santa Clara University and Southern Utah University. He also enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a high school band director in Florida. Dr. Harris received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Florida, his Master of Arts and Doctor of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado. His conducting teachers include Richard W. Bowles, Dr. Raymond Chobaz, Dr. German Gutierez, Dr. Richard Mayne and Dr. Kenneth Singleton, and has studied with Douglas Akey, Stanley Derusha, John Paynter and Frank Batiste.

At his most recent high school, Palm Bay High School in Melbourne, FL, his concert and jazz bands were recognized as being among the elite in the state, regularly receiving highest marks at district and state festivals. The Wind Ensemble was invited to perform at the University of Florida Invitational Concert Band Festival as well as the prestigious Bands of America National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis. The top jazz band performed at, and won, jazz festivals in Florida, Georgia and Virginia, and has earned praise while performing with jazz notables such as Ira Sullivan, Bill Prince, Marc Dickman, Christian Tamburr, Maynard Ferguson, David Steinmeyer, Bobby Shew and Portland’s own Charlie Porter.