The upcoming jazz band concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 3, will showcase the talent of one student in particular, music major Steve Silver.

The performance will include Silver’s original piece, titled “Out of a Blue Funk.”

The jazz ensemble, led by Adjunct Professor Miguel Correa, will perform in the Bruce Owen Theater, free of charge.

This will be the first original song of Silver’s to be performed by the jazz band ensemble.

“It’s something I came up with over the break between semesters,” Silver said. “This is purely a chance to apply the lessons that we’ve been learning.”

Correa and student Zach Lebo assisted Silver in preparing for the performance of this song.

“I wrote the actual basis for the song and then I enlisted their help in creating the missing pieces, including the bass line and the drum section,” Silver said.

Student vocalists Scott Whitehead and Nicole Pearce will also get a chance to share the spotlight with their solo performances of classic songs. Whitehead will perform “Smile” by Charlie Chaplin and Pearce will perform “Dream a Little Dream of Me.”

This is Correa’s first semester to lead the jazz bands, and the performances have resulted in good feedback.

“I read a bunch of reviews from Music Appreciation students and they all seemed to be entertained,” Correa said. “The big thing is to expose people who haven’t had a chance to hear a lot of jazz to hear it.

“We got a lot of people who said they were pleasantly surprised and never knew that they could enjoy a jazz show. That’s music to my ears.”

For more information about the jazz bands, contact Professor Miguel Correa at miguel.a.correa@email.occc.edu.

To contact Paris Burris, email onlineeditor@occc.edu.