"Old guy" vocal jazz

Tonight was monumental. The PLU Vocal Jazz Ensemble (a.k.a. Vocal JAZZ!!!) gave its final concert of the year in the Lagerquist Concert Hall to a decent audience and through a relatively shabby sound system. Although a few choir members were confused about the time of call for the concert the big hold-up tonight wasn't the tardy throats but the painfully syrup pace of the sound crew. For as much as I might appear to not appreciate their work, I honestly didn't care so much as I know or director Wayne probably did. The gig started late and with that the audience was allowed to seat themselves before we completed our sound check. It set a strange mood for the entire night but we did really well overall. The evening started off with our rhythm section playing Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most and moving next through eight solo vocal pieces. The veterins put out great performances but I was more impressed with the folks with less experience. To them I have to say, "Booty!" Nice work and keep it up. I sang Mustang Sally and was blessed to have the help of our rhythm section, Wayne (her direktor) on guitar, three lovely back-up vocalists, and three brass players (who also sing in the choir). I had fun and it supposedly sounded pretty fair. After that the choir flew through four charts, the final one of which was D.C. Farewell and was performed a capella with even the rhythm section singing.

I struggled with a decision recently. I planned to leave the choir and enjoy sitting in the audience next year. My reasoning was 1) that I wanted to give other singers a chance to get into the group and 2) that I'm getting old. Now, I don't really feel old nor will I truly ever. I do worry that my extended status as a senior due to full-time work at PLU makes me somewhat distanced from the others in the group. Now, don't get me wrong, I had a great time getting to know and hang out with everyone during our recent Reno trip. I just worry about carrying the image of "the old guy in the group." I chatted with some folks in the choir and their words of encouragement were touching. None of them hesitated when I posed the above concerns and seemed truly to want me involved. So, with that (and the likewise encouragement from an invitation for the choir to sing at Carnegie Hall) I will show up at auditions next Fall and sing myself silly. One more year and I'm done... seriously.

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