by Max Newman
In an institution like Oberlin Conservatory, with plentiful opportunities to watch smaller ensembles strut their stuff, it’s always refreshing to witness a virtuosic group of musicians play in a big band style. That’s exactly the experience a packed Finney Chapel crowd had on November 8 when the Oberlin Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Chris Anderson, produced a stirring concert during parents weekend.
A key tenet of a good big band is chemistry, and the OJE had it in abundance. A brilliant, balanced sound filled Finney Chapel’s cavernous interior. The space can often swallow low-end frequencies, but this was a very fluid, smooth-edged sonic experience.