Mundell Lowe and James Ferguson came together with the talented musicians of the Austin Peay State University Department of Music & Conductor Gregory Wolynec to present “Who comes this night… An evening of Christmas Music.” Saturday evening. The Concert was a joint production of the APSU Department of Music and the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts.
Lowe has worked with such jazz legends as Billie Holiday, Lester Young, Charlie Parker and Charles Mingus. He played in studio bands for TV shows such as āA Date in Manhattanā with Cy Coleman, āThe Kate Smith Hourā with Stan Getz and Doc Severinsen and Dave Garrawayās āToday Showā with George Duvivier and Ed Shaughnessy.
His own recordings include āAfter Hoursā with Sarah Vaughn and āBittersweetā with Carmen McRae. Lowe works with his own quintet and tours with the Andre Previn Trio.
Ferguson began his career with the New Christy Minstrels, and after moving to Nashville in 1981, quickly established himself as a studio musician. In 1990, he joined Crystal Gayleās band as a singer, vocal arranger and bassist. As a leader, he has recorded two CDs, āNot Just Another Pretty Bassā and āDeep Summer Music.ā
Ferguson and Lowe previously worked together on the duo album, āHaunted Heart.ā
In the concert they played versions of traditional Christmas classics, such as āWhite Christmas,ā āThe Christmas Song,ā āSanta Claus is Coming to Town,ā āJingle Bellsā and āHave Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.ā
The Dec. 12 concert was produced in large part by David Steinquest a Professor of Percussion at APSU. The program included large arrangements of āWho Comes This Night,ā āThe Christ Childās Lullabyā and āSilent Night.ā The nightās program featured smaller group versions of āGo Tell it on the Mountainā for brass quintet, āLet it Snowā for string quartet, āGreensleevesā for woodwind quintet and āWe Wish You a Merry Christmasā for percussion quartet.
Program
Who Comes This Night
David Grusin arr. David Steinquest
White Christmas
Irving Berlin
James Ferguson and Mundell Lowe
Go Tell It On The Mountain
arr. Luther Henderson
The Brass Quintet
Let It Snow
Jule Styne arr. Barry Gordon
The String Quartet
Snowfall
Claud Thornhill, Ray Charles
James Ferguson and Mundell Lowe
A Christmas Walz
Sammy Chan, Jule Styne
James Ferguson and Mundell Lowe
The Christ Child’s Lullaby
arr. David Steinquest
Gail M. Robinson-Oturu, Sharon Mabry, Douglad R. Rose, Korre Foster
Old Fashioned Christmas
Bob Mater, Beegie Adair
James Ferguson and Mundell Lowe
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots
James Ferguson and Mundell Lowe
Jingle Bells
James Pierpont
James Ferguson and Mundell Lowe
We Wish You A Merry Christmas
arr. David Steinquest
The Percussion Quartet
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Hugh Martin
James Ferguson and Mundell Lowe
Silent Night
Franz Gruber arr. David Steinquest
Gallery
Performers
- Lisa Vanarsdel, Flute
- Jeanette Zyko, Oboe
- Jessica Alter, Bassoon
- Mingzhe Wang, Clarinet
- Dawn Hartley, Bassoon
- Francis Massinon, Horn
- Richard Steffen, Trumpet
- Mario Kee, Euphonium
- Jorel Conley, Tuba
- Matt DeVore, Timpani
- David Steinquest, Mallets
- Chris Osborne, Drum
- Alex Brunt, Percussion
- Anne Glass, Piano
- Patricia Halbeck, Piano
- Gail Robinson-Oturu, Soprano
- Sharon Mabry, Mezzo-Soprano
- Douglas Rose, Tenor
- Korre Foster, Bass
- Emily Hanna Crane, Violin
- Booyoung Lee, Violin
- Simone Parker, Viola
- Ester Sooter, Cello
- Gregory Wolynec, Conductor