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| Bring
out the Brass
by Lainey S. Cronk
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 Stress,
senioritis and spring fever characterize the third academic quarter.
Fortunately, PUC’s wind ensemble and jazz band made a point
of contributing an infectious dose of swing and jollity to the
mix this spring.
May brought a Symphonic Wind Ensemble concert featuring “Godzilla
Eats Las Vegas” (complete with accompanying visuals), a stunning “Rhapsody
in Blue” starring Kristen La Madrid on piano, and “Carnival
of Venice” with Alex Caceres on trumpet.
Then, despite looming finals, the Jazz Band’s June concert
attracted a vociferously appreciative audience to Paulin Hall.
The relatively young band has quickly become highly popular—and
rightly so. With an easy-going atmosphere, big band tunes that
keep listeners feeling amazingly cheery long after the concert’s
over, and awe-inspiringly talented musicians, the Jazz Band is
something no one wants to miss. The superb  contributions of guest
saxophonist Guido Fazio added yet another layer of appeal to the
band’s June 5 concert. An acclaimed San Francisco musician,
Fazio is an old classmate of band director Kenneth Narducci and
is also the current saxophone teacher of Darren Wheeler, PUC student
and Jazz Band saxophonist.
As always, the crowd demanded “one more!” at the end
of the concert—and were rewarded with one last foot-tapping
classic that did its best to send students on their way to a successful
exam week.
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