Airmen of Note
The University of Arkansas - Fort Smith is sponsoring a free concert March 29 by the Airmen of Note, the premier jazz ensemble of the U.S. Air Force.
The 7:30 p.m. concert will be held at Stubblefield Center, Kinkead Ave. and Waldron Rd. Although it is free, tickets are required for admission and may be picked up in advance from the Box Office at UA Fort Smith. Tickets will also be available at the door.
The Airmen of Note is one of eight performing units of the United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C. It was originally created in 1950 to carry on the tradition of Glenn Miller’s Army Air Corps dance band. Twice a year the band travels throughout the United States and performs in communities coast to coast. They also appear at jazz festivals across the country.
The musicians in the Airmen of Note come from all over the United States -- California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Commander and conductor for Airmen of Note is Lt. Col. A. Phillip Waite, a native of Watkins Glen, N.Y. Col. Waite directed choral activities at universities and schools for nine years prior to entering the U.S. Air Force. He has conducted more than 1,100 programs in six countries and 46 states during the past 21 years.
Chief Master Sgt. Dudley J. Hinote of Titusville, Fla., is the manager for the group and plays bass trombone. Senior Master Sgt. Joe Jackson of Dallas, Texas, is director and lead trombone, as well as music education coordinator for the group. Vocalist for Airmen of Note is Tech. Sgt. Paige Caroleen Martin of Broadalbin, N.Y.
The band has evolved over the years, with the Glenn Miller sound remaining a strong ingredient in the band’s musical heritage. The group started adopting a more contemporary style, and it then moved further to the forefront of modern big band jazz, earning the group a reputation as one of the finest and most versatile big bands of its kind in the world. The Airmen of Note’s current chief arranger, M.Sgt. Alan Baylock of Ebensburg, Penn., maintains the band’s commitment to tradition and cutting-edge innovation.
The band has collaborated in performances and recordings with numerous known musicians, including Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan and Doc Severinsen. Since 1990, the group has shared the stage with legendary jazz icons Clark Terry and Ron Carter as well as some of today’s top artists -- Eddie Daniels, Randy Brecker, Karryn Allison and Nicholas Payton.
Many of the group’s members are accomplished clinicians with extensive backgrounds in music education. They routinely lead clinics at high schools and colleges across the country and are frequently invited to perform at national music conventions.
The Airmen of Note received high acclaim from jazz legend Count Basie, who said, “It doesn’t matter what kind of bag you put them in, jazz or dance, the Airmen of Note always come out swinging. This is one band you won’t want to miss.”
Lou Rawls -- soul, jazz and blues singer -- also applauded the group: “To coin a phrase from one of my albums: Too much!”
For more information on the local performance by the Airmen of Note, contact the UA Fort Smith Box Office at 479-788-7300.
