Jazz band to perform tribute concert

By ASHLEY LUTHERN

‘Funky, fun’ music of Tower of Power will be performed by a local jazz band.

BOARDMAN — Every Monday evening in the summer, the sounds of jazz music can be heard echoing through the halls of the Boardman High School Performing Arts Center.

But it’s not just one dedicated student practicing; it’s an entire band.

Boardman High School’s Jazz Ensemble I has been rehearsing weekly for its upcoming performance at the Maag Outdoor Arts Theatre in Boardman Park. The jazz ensemble will play a tribute to the West Coast soul band with the big horn sound, Tower of Power, at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The idea for the band’s first summer performance came from a group of soon-to-be graduates.

“It’s something that me and a few friends came up with,” said Kyle O’Donnell, 18, who will be attending the University of Akron this fall. “We’ve always played at least one Tower of Power song in each of our concerts, and Mr. Ruggieri [the director] commented that we’d have enough for an entire show, so we thought ‘let’s do it.’”

It didn’t take much to persuade the other members of the jazz band to commit to one day a week of their summer vacation.

“Everyone was really excited to start playing after school let out,” said Ben Howard, a 16-year-old trombone player. “We all wanted to get back into it, and I think the Tower of Power music is great.”

For the past seven years, the jazz band has played at least one Tower of Power song during its school year concerts.

“We’ve played a lot of these songs before, and there’s an energy in them that always leaves people wanting more,” O’Donnell said.

Boardman’s director of bands, Thomas Ruggieri, always knew that one day he would conduct a Tower of Power tribute concert.

“I first listened to Tower of Power in ’89 and fell in love,” Ruggieri said. “I told myself that whenever I got a job with a jazz program that I’d have them play Tower of Power because I knew the kids would have the same experience that I did.”

Rena Travee, 15, felt the same as Ruggieri after she first played music by Tower of Power.

“I love [Tower of Power]. It’s funky and a lot of fun,” said the sophomore flutist.

Not many people are familiar with Tower of Power, but the high energy that the jazz band brings, combined with the vocal performances, will make for an entertaining show, Ruggieri said.

“Most of the songs have vocals and the vocals make a connection with the audience,” he said. “It’ll definitely be a fun concert.”

Though this is the band’s first summer performance, Ruggieri said that it could become an annual event.

“In jazz band, the kids are so into it, and it’s a small enough group that there would be no problem coordinating some sort of program in the future,” he said.