The U of S Jazz Ensemble is ready to make you groove all night

On Oct. 26 the University of Saskatchewan Jazz Ensemble will be jiving through town with a swing show made for dancing the night away.

Professor Dean McNeil leads the ensemble and will be playing three sets at the Cosmo Senior Centre. The theme will be 1920’s, so all the potential city-slickers out there are encouraged to dress appropriately and have their time to shine on the dance floor.

Switch in Time presents a nice change of pace for the ensemble from their regular, more formal performances. A dance show lets the band feed off the crowd reactions and feel a totally different type of energy than they’re accustomed to.

The band has a large array of songs in their repertoire, from classics like Billy Haley and the Comets to Norah Jones. In fact, the ensemble has over 100 songs in their song books and will be using the event as an opportunity to play many of them for the first time.

“It is very common for working musicians to see the music they will be playing for the first time on stage or in the recording studio. So having to perform this music accurately with little-to-no rehearsal is a learning experience and the band always comes out sounding even better than we did before,” said ensemble member and head of organizing committee Marc Holt.

The ensemble itself is well versed in playing a variety of shows and styles and has recently played at The Bassment and the Saskatoon Jazz Festival. McNeil is a veteran of performing at any kind of setting and especially enjoys playing at dances where he can feed off the crowd and decide just what song to perform next.

The 1920’s was also the original timeframe for when swing music was at its height of popularity and Holt was quick to acknowledge that the event draws its name and style from music it puts on display.

“‘Switch in Time’ is a song recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra and the title just felt good with this type of event and the theme came with it.”

Attendees should be ready to experience a fresh feeling, as Saskatoon does not have much to offer for dancing of this kind. It will be an exciting new atmosphere, even for those who have no idea how to swing dance and is a great opportunity to break away from the synthesizers and fist pumps that make up the local dance scene.

The event will also feature a cash bar and, for those who are perhaps a little shy when it comes to the dance floor, the brilliance of a live band dance is that it can just as easily be a captivating concert.

Tickets for the show at Cosmo Snior Centre can be purchased now from Saskatoon Academy of Music or from members of the ensemble.

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Photo: University of Saskatchewan Music Department