Jazz series continues with casual class

Classy, but casual was the mood Monday night at the Musical Arts Center as students, faculty, and Bloomington residents stopped in for a jazz concert, part of the IU School of Music's Mac Jazz series. \nThe musicians came onstage in classic black and white, shoes and instruments shining. Paul Johnston's ensemble opened the program with George Gershwin's Strike up the Band and performed five other pieces including two by Oliver Nelson, completing the first half of the program. The second act featured Thomas Walsh's ensemble, a powerhouse of energy and sound. The music swelled to fill the theater, sometimes loud and sometimes soft, rhythms syncopating and alternating, and then coming together. Voices of individual instruments took the spotlight and then blended and played off each other. In some pieces the members of the bands themselves composed the solo backgrounds. There is something about a live concert that cannot be replicated on even the highest quality recording. \nSeeing the way the musicians express themselves with their instruments, the way a saxophone player dips her knees, the way a drummer cocks his head, and the director taps his feet, all add to the experience. Hearing the nuances of a performance, as that blend of discipline and spontaneity is negotiated, only happens if you are there. \nThose in attendance know that seeing a quality concert at IU is as easy as showing up. These concerts are free. You don't need tickets. You don't need to plan ahead. You don't need to dress to kill. You just need to come Monday night 8pm at the MAC, relax in one of those red and purple seats and enjoy a full program of classic jazz.