When a group of child musicians gets a standing ovation after one day of rehearsal of original music, imagine the performance ahead.
And if the four-day rehearsal session is blessed with teachings from a composer known as the world’s best living baritone saxophonist, Hamiet Bluiett, no wonder the bravo.
“There is just so much difference in just one day,” said Carla Duncun, coordinator of the annual Ivory Perry Park Concert Series.
Bluiett and the children – who make up the brand new improvisingyouthorchestra – will premiere “Suite Children” as part of the series from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, June 22 at Ivory Perry Park, at Belt and Cabanne.
“I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time,” said Bluiett, the Brooklyn, Ill. native who co-founded the Black Artist Group and World Saxophone Quarter.
“I’ve had this music for a long time, and I said, ‘I’m going to do something with the youth,’” the blunt and sometimes gruff (but always cool) Bluiett said.
Bluiett had originally planned a concert with the late Roger Duncan, husband of Carla, but Duncan died late last year.
Bluiett said he became more interested in child musicians because many teachers have them playing like adults and playing music they’ll never get a chance to play.
The first day Bluiett and Stan Colemen (Brittany Woods Middle School band director and conductor of “Suite Children”) started working with the children this week, Bluiett insisted that they give him hip-hop instead of the jazz they had been taught to play.
“Don’t try to be my generation; nobody is riding in a 1960 car,” he said.
“I’m all right with the music – everybody in the world is doing hip-hop. It’s the beat of the planet.”
Bluiett believes that new generations should play their music – but be experienced, competent, knowledgeable and have a humanitarian attitude.
“Also, be able to compose, write, improvise and arrange,” the accomplished musician said.
The children got a healthy lesson from Bluiett on improvisation, blues and playing what they naturally feel. Most important, they learned by simply playing and making mistakes.
“Don’t tell him nothing – let him mess up,” Bluiett said to one student who was trying to help another.
“If he messed up, good. This is class – we’ll get it later,” Bluiett said.
The children liked Bluiett’s directness – what they call “being real” today.
Many of them knew of Bluiett and jumped at the opportunity to soak up knowledge from the man who redefined baritone sax.
“I had to come,” said 17-year-old Kendrick Smith, an alto sax player who attends East St. Louis High School.
Smith said Bluiett taught him to have fun and feel free, like you can do anything with the music.
“This is spontaneous – the music can go anywhere,” Smith said.
Terrence Childs, a 14-year-old trombonist and Brittany Woods Middle School student, said he did more improvisation and sight reading than he had ever done.
“I never heard music like this before,” Childs said.
Bluiett is paying the student-musicians for their performance on Sunday and was quick to remind them of that.
“I’m putting pressure on y’all – y’all can do it,” Blueitt said, following a standing ovation in the band room.
“Y’all know I’m with y’all, but not if you can’t play.”
Bluiett knows a lot about getting paid to play. He remains a sought out musician around the world. He’s still a member of the World Saxophone Quartet, which he co-founded in 1976. He also plays and records on bass sax, E-flat alto clarinet, E-flat contra-alto clarinet and wooden flute.
His accomplishments are grand enough to be Googled.
Hamiet Bluiett and the improvisingyouthorchestra will premiere “Suite Children” from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, June 22 at Ivory Perry Park (Belt and Cabanne).
