Do you enjoy the music of Stevie Wonder, James Brown, or Stevie Ray Vaughn? Then leave the yard work behind for an afternoon and bring lawn chairs or a blanket to CatawBash 2005.
The free, fun, casual, open-air concert will showcase the talents of students participating in the Catawba College Music Department’s contemporary popular music program. CatawBash 2005 begins at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 23 in the outdoor plaza of Catawba’s Cannon Student Center and is open to all.
CatawBash 2005 will feature four different musical groups, all founded at the college during the past couple of years. The Vernaculars will headline the show by performing “A Tale of Two Stevies,” a set of songs by Stevie Wonder and Stevie Ray Vaughn. Rare among college/university ensembles, the Vernaculars are dedicated to the performance of contemporary popular (aka vernacular) music. The group’s basic instrumentation includes lead and background vocals, electric guitar and bass, keyboards, and drums. Each semester's repertory comes from three primary sources: important legacy works that have helped established the foundation of contemporary popular music, recent songs of exceptional artistic value, and original pieces by members of the ensemble.
The Catawba Jazz Nucleus, an ensemble dedicated to the performance of authentic, straight-ahead, improvisation-oriented jazz and blues, will also make an appearance at CatawBash 2005. The group draws its artistic inspiration from the music of John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and other jazz greats as well as recent jazz and blues trends. At CatawBash 2005, the Jazz Nucleus will perform several standards by the legendary Miles Davis and the first part of a sonic history of funk, featuring songs by James Brown, Sly Sylvester, George Clinton, and Prince. Professional saxophonist and Catawba instructor Jack Murray will join the ensemble onstage in a special guest appearance. Associate Professor Dr. David Lee Fish directs both the Vernaculars and the Jazz Nucleus.
Two music groups organized by Catawba students will also take the stage at CatawBash 2005. Labeling Deloris is a popular rock act created by three Catawba music business students, singer Jennifer Reiff, drummer Andrew Boudouris, and guitarist Jason Rigney, as well as Jason’s brother, bassist Brad Rigney. Originally known as Polyphony, the band performed at Arlene’s Grocery, an important New York hotspot, earlier this year and is scheduled to appear at Nashville’s legendary Bluebird Café this summer. Labeling Deloris’ repertory includes original songs by Reiff and Rigney, the latter being a 2004 finalist in the John Lennon Collegiate Songwriting Competition. CatawBash 2005 will mark Labeling Deloris’ farewell performance at Catawba. After the conclusion of the spring semester, its members plan a move to Nashville to further pursue their musical vision. For more information on Labeling Deloris, visit www.labelingdeloris.com.
One Voice, a student multi-cultural gospel ensemble founded and directed by Catawba music business student and Charlotte native Dennis Reed, will round out CatawBash 2005. The group has sung across North Carolina, from Charlotte to Burlington, and has a performance scheduled in Washington DC later this year. The ensemble performs to spread a musical message of hope and inspiration to its listeners. In so doing, One Voice draws upon a wide range of gospel styles, from the inspiring worship ballads of Michael W. Smith to the urban/hip-hop sounds of Kirk Franklin. The group also performs original songs by Reed. Like Rigney, Reed is a 2004 John Lennon Songwriting finalist. He is also finishing an album of original gospel works to be released in the near future.
CatawBash 2005 will be held in the plaza in front of Catawba’s Cannon Student Center. In the event of inclement weather, it will be moved to the Crystal Lounge of Catawba’s Robertson Community Center. For more information about CatawBash 2005, contact Dr. David Lee Fish at 704/637-4280 or dlfish@catawba.edu.
