By Staff
Special to The Star
May 12, 2002
St. Paul's final concert of the year will feature local talent Carey Smith &Friends.
Set for Thursday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church the event begins at 12:05 p.m. in the Parish Hall.
Entertainers include:
Carey Smith &Friends
The 2002 version of the group finds Carey Smith on piano, the driving force behind the group. He is in his 22nd year at Meridian Community College as Director of Bands and music instructor.
Smith has worked and performed with dozens of name performers and clinicians in the jazz idiom during his career. One of the many highlights of his career was having his MCC jazz band perform a concert in March 1991 at Carnegie Hall in conjunction with the Count Basie Orchestra and the 100th year anniversary of the prestigious facilities opening.
As a composer, Smith will have his first piano concerto premiered in February 2003 in Meridian with pianist Teresa Sanchez and the Meridian Symphony performing the work.
Scott Kratzer
Kratzer has played drums for the group since the mid 80s. He is currently band director at Northwest Junior High and assistant at Meridian High School. He was also on the 1991 band that performed at Carnegie Hall with Carey.
Ron Widener
Widener has also been with the group several years, and stays busy free-lancing and teaching. Ron is an active alumnus of the University of Alabama and serves on the "Cavaliers" Big Band Board as president.
Hank Lambert
On the trombone will be Hank Lambert who has been involved with jazz in Meridian since his teens. He studied trombone at USM and resides in Columbus, playing on the weekends with a variety of groups.
Alexander Pershounin
Pershounin is one of the leading bass players in Russia and is completing his doctorate at the University of Southern Mississippi. His phenomenal technique on upright bass is something to witness. Alex remains the first person musicians think of when hiring a bass player.
Will Roland
A guitarist and composer, Roland is originally from Southern California. While attending Cal State University, Bakersfield, Will joined the band of world-renowned, avant-garde composer Doug Davis. Recently he received national attention with the preliminary release of this latest project, "At the Beach." One selection, "Destined for Destin," was previously in the Jazz Top 40 on the MP3.com Web site. Currently living and working in Meridian, he is hard at work writing the completion of the CD.
Jennie Kratzer
Kratzer, a vocalist, is a graduate of the University of West Alabama and Auburn University, studying both vocal and instrumental music. She is currently vocal and instrumental instructor at Northeast Middle School and conducts the Lauderdale County Jazz Ensemble. Jennie can be heard once a month locally at the Landing Restaurant with Smith &Friends.