Jazz vibraphonist to play with NCC faculty

A vibraphone isn’t the most obvious instrument associated with jazz music.

But you might be surprised to learn it has a rich history in the place of American jazz. You can hear for yourself when vibraphonist and North Central College jazz faculty member Brad Stirtz performs at 8 p.m. Jan. 20 in the College’s Madden Theatre. “An Evening with Jazz Vibraphonist Brad Stirtz” is part of the jazz faculty concert series.

For those who don’t know a vibraphone from a kazoo, the former is similar to a xylophone; with the difference being aluminum bars instead of wood. The aluminum bars allows for a longer sustain time than a xylophone or a marimba, Stirtz said. There’s also a pedal, like on a piano.

“It has quite a bit of expressive capabilities,” he said. - 

Jazz Vibraphonist Brad Stirtz will perform at NCC Jan. 20. | Courtesy of NCC

Another fun fact: it was invented in Chicago. Two companies claim to have invented the instrument; the J.C. Deagan Company, and the Leedy Company.

“It’s a less typical jazz instrument. It was invented here in Chicago around the turn of the century, and really grew up in that era — in the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s, that’s how it got to be associated with jazz music,” he said. “A lot of the classical literature had been written by that point. Jazz music was growing up in the U.S. and the vibraphone was developing along a parallel line. It’s a uniquely American instrument.”

How the vibraphone found a place in jazz music is interesting, he said.

“If you think about what was happening in music in the early 1900s, Vaudeville was going on, really early jazz stuff, which would have come through New Orleans, Kansas City and Chicago. There was a lot of experimentation with instruments … there was a giant array of instruments being brought out onstage,” he said. “I’m sure it was treated as a novelty at first. A lot of vibraphone players were transplanted xylophone players.”

Onstage with Stirtz will be some of his co-workers who’ve already had their turns at the jazz faculty nights, including saxophonist Mitch Paliga, pianist Frank Caruso, bassist Jim Cox and percussionist Jack Mouse.

“We’ve talked about the nature of the concerts,” he said. “The way jazz concerts work, it’s a delicate balance. Within the jazz idiom, you see a great variety in the way people approach improvisation, and there are very simple examples where jazz tunes are two or three minutes long and are really more of a pop arrangement.

“And then you have some of the great jazz artists who might play a tune that lasts 25 minutes or longer,” he said. “That’s an acquired taste for a more experienced jazz artist. It’s nice to look for a happy medium where the improvising artists get an opportunity to stretch out a bit without going beyond the realm of what people would normally experience in a musical composition.”

That’s why, for a concert like this where they are hoping to attract a wide variety of audience members, he said, they plant to include familiar jazz standards.

“I would love for people who are fans of many musical idioms to find something that resonates with them as we’re playing.” - http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/entertainment/9836208-421/jazz-vibraphonist-to-play-with-ncc-faculty.html