Jubileers explore the sultry sound of jazz vocals

Drums and bass locked into a steady beat while the piano danced around a catchy musical refrain. The deep, confident voice of University of Montana Junior Eddie Tail Feathers rose into the air, achieving a haunting melody that neither he nor his fellow musicians had ever experienced.

“You just let the music enter you,” Tail Feathers said, describing his improvised solo during a rehearsal session for the Jubileers, the University of Montana’s only vocal jazz group.

The Jubileers will bring student vocal solos to the forefront when they perform jazz standards in the Music Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Admission is free.

“Jazz is one of my favorite musical styles because it involves creativity,” said Gary Funk, Jubileers conductor and an associate professor of music at UM. “Students have to create a conversation with the music.”

That conversation became wider this fall when the Jubileers added three additional female vocalists to their previous lineup of eight jazz singers.

“We had so many students apply for the group,” Funk said. “(They) were very strong people, and I couldn’t justify not having another three.”

The added vocalists complement the group’s sound, Funk said. In addition, each vocalist will perform an improvised solo, adding more music to the concert.

“It’s a really moving experience playing with these guys,” said Jeff Francis, a UM senior and drummer for the Jubileers. “It’s (the concert) going to be beautiful.”

The Jubileers are taught in a class that meets twice a week, and the group holds rehearsals outside of class time, Funk said. The class exposes students to challenging, well-written jazz standards that will push their abilities, he said.

“In jazz, you don’t know for sure what the next note will be,” Funk said. “It’s for students who want to push themselves beyond themselves ... the person has to love being the center of attention.”

While improvising, or making music on the spot, can be stressful, it can also be very rewarding, said Kristen Engebretson, a UM sophomore and vocalist for the Jubileers.

“I love how you can play with rhythms and notes to make your own creation,” Engebretson said.

The creative atmosphere and small class size helps bring the group together, Funk said.

“This group develops a relationship with each other,” he said. “There’s no competition –it’s all about the music.”

The Jubileers demonstrated that very sense of musical focus and community during a practice run of the jazz standard “Take 5” in music recital room 218 on Sunday afternoon. Male and female voices rose beautifully together as the song progressed, the bass and drums playing in time with the chorus. The Jubileers swayed to the music, smiling and clearly enjoying the complex jazz piece.

“It (performing jazz) does something that nothing else can,” said Meghan Righetti, Jubileers vocalist and UM senior. “It’s food for your soul.”