Stephen F. Austin State University

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - Stephen F. Austin State University's jazz bands, The Swingin' Axes and the Swingin' Aces, will present a joint concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

The Swingin' Aces will open the program with "an eclectic mixture of swing, funk and contemporary tunes," said director Deb Scott, SFA assistant professor or music.

Tyler sophomore Braxton Nichols, alto saxophone, will be featured on Mike Tomaro's arrangement of "What is Hip," and Nacogdoches freshman David Castro will be the featured tenor saxophonist on "Full Nelson," a swing tune as recorded by Oliver Nelson.

The Aces' lead trumpeter, Lufkin freshman Danny Griffith, will be featured on "Whispered Elegy," a beautiful ballad composed by Frank Mantooth, Scott said.

The Swingin' Axes, under the direction of associate professor Gary Wurtz, will present a "Tribute to the Stan Kenton Legacy."

"From 1941 t 1979, the year of his death, Stan Kenton led, toured and recorded with what were some of the best jazz big bands ever to have existed," Wurtz said. "The musicians, writers and arrangers that were associated with the Kenton orchestras are a Who's Who list of jazz greats. All jazz students must play Kenton's arrangements, and we try to feed them a healthy diet of them in the Swingin' Axes."

The concert is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. For tickets or more information, please visit www.sfasu.edu/finearts or call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.