Lying in a hammock in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley, Liam O’Dell heard an insistent bird call. Inspired, he composed a tune titled “Call of the Valley,” one of the eight originals performed on Sunday, closing out O’Dell’s time at UT.
Butler School of Music juniors, seniors and graduate students will perform their capstone recitals throughout April. These recitals showcase original student compositions and arrangements. On Sunday, five students took the stage at Monk’s Jazz Club in East Austin.
“What audiences can expect to hear is a lot of hard work, dedication (and) students performing at their absolute best through their compositions, ensemble playing, improvisations and overall knowledge of jazz music,” said Diego Rivera, UT’s director of Jazz Studies.
Each performer had an eight-song set, with at least four original compositions.
“We don’t want students to simply check off the boxes that are required for the recital,” Rivera said. “We work with students on crafting a narrative.”
O’Dell, a music performance grad student and bassist, prepared an entirely original set entitled “Landscapes,” which he said draws inspiration from nature. “Lolo” is one of the six songs included in the “Montana Suite” that O’Dell said he wrote during a family trip.
“I wrote (Lolo) in the winter inspired by a super windy road in the mountains that was absolutely gorgeous,” O’Dell said. “It almost looks like a Bob Ross painting with all the white snow on the pine trees and twisty roads. But it’s kind of treacherous, especially on the way back down, because it was starting to snow really bad.”
Throughout his set, O’Dell’s originals provide space for fellow performers to showcase their skills while leaving ample room for tender bass solos.
“One of the things I love most about performing is being able to have an experience … and being able to share it with other people through a medium that I think is super cool,” O’Dell said.
Next, jazz performance senior and drummer Doug Blatt took the stage with his set, “Heart of Harmony,” blending originals and jazz standards.
“I’m mainly looking forward to … showcasing my rock originals in a jazz format because I want to see the professors’ reactions since it is very unconventional,” Blatt said.
Blatt said his original compositions came as a restructuring of songs written for his rock band, Keliko. Opening the set with his original, “Velvet Dreams,” Blatt displayed his unique style while honoring complicated jazz rhythms.
“(UT has) definitely helped me meet people that has helped with my journey,” Blatt said. “All my band members I have met at UT. My past experiences, I’ve also gathered from UT students, which I’m very grateful for.”
Continuing throughout the day, the showcase allowed students to share their work in the moody lighting and rustic decor of Monk’s Jazz Club. Rivera said he is grateful to Monk’s owner, Collin Shook, for the opportunity to host the recital in a bona fide jazz club. As the students left the stage, their chapter at UT came to a close, leading them to new horizons as budding jazz musicians.
“The advice I usually give to younger students is (to) listen to anything and everything all of the time,” O’Dell said. “(Also) playing as much as you can, whether that’s in a practice room or on the jam sessions or with your friends.”
