Western Courier

Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: The Edge

Media Credit: Martyn Davis Matt Warnock plays the electric guitar while guest Roddy Ellias sticks with the classic acoustic sound.

The mellow sounds of jazz guitar filled the Feb. 28 faculty recital with Matt Warnock and featured guest Roddy Ellias. A small but interested crowd braved the snow-filled evening to hear the two accomplished jazz guitarists perform onstage in a light-hearted, informal affair.

The performance opened with "Alone Together," a longer piece that started slow and showcased Ellias' flying fingers toward the end. After the song, Ellias joked about the music in the program, saying that despite what it listed, they would be playing other music of their own choosing.

"We're just re-designing the program," Ellias quipped after "My Funny Valentine," the second song of the night. The music listed in a jazz program is never set in stone. Usually it is arranged with a number of songs - not all of which are going to be played - listed that the performers choose from.

"The program can be improvised," Ellias said.

Improvisation is a large part of jazz, with the music played having much to do with the attitude of the room. What Warnock and Ellias performed was decided on a song-by-song basis.

"It's just how we feel; it's reading the audience," Ellias said about how the music of the night was chosen.

Jazz guitar is interesting in that it is largely concerned with improvisation but still has key differences between the pieces performed.

"Even the improvisation is planned out," Ellias said. "There is a structure."

By the third song of the night, "Once I Had a Secret Lover," the playing began to get more up-tempo, with both Warnock's and Ellias' hands dancing over the strings.

At the fourth piece of the night, Ellias' own "Calm," Warnock took a seat in the audience for Ellias to perform his music solo. This peaceful rendition was brief in comparison to the previous music performed, and was followed by "Shuffle Boogie," an ode to another jazz performance of which Ellias was a fan.

After the sixth song of the night, "Sandra," the relaxed feeling of the night was capitalized on when Western student Tyler Ross was brought on stage to play one of his own pieces with Ellias. This mellow performance had a spark of something different from the rest of the pieces performed that night and offered a chance for the music students in the audience to watch one of their own perform with an accomplished artist. The recital was brought to an end as Warnock returned to the stage and joined in performance with Ellias and Ross.

"I was really happy," Ellias said about the performance. "We could tell people were enjoying it."

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