UF music alumni renewed long standing relationships and built new ones as they returned for a weekend long reunion celebrating the jazz musician Bobby Shew
Shew, world renowned trumpet player, originally performed with the UF Jazz Band back in 1983. The concert is remembered by past UF Jazz program director and 1983 Jazz Band member, Gary Langford, as “beginning to end, the absolute best in all my 38 years.”
The idea originally erupted when the current director of UF Jazz program, Scott Wilson, found the 1983 Bobby Shew recording in the school’s archives and was blown away by the performance. Wilson says the reunion concert was a dream in the making.
“Like so many of the UF jazz alumni that came back for the 1983 Bobby Shew Reunion concert, we felt a deep appreciation for Bobby Shew, his musical influence and for Gary Langford's teaching,” expressed UF alumni Mark Wood, who now plays with the Pershing’s Own UF Army Blues band.
Wood continued, “For me the experience of learning with Bobby transformational and took my playing to another levels so that I could become a strong a lead trumpet plays.”
All but a few of the original members of the 1983 UF Jazz Band reunited for Bobby Shew Live concert raising awareness to support the Bobby Shew Lead Trumpet Scholarship.
The 1983 UF Jazz Band members included: Gary Langford (director), Kenny Anderson (saxophone, alto 1), Bill Prince (saxophone, alto 2), Sam Fagaly (saxophone, tenor 1), Tony Annachino (saxophone, tenor 2), Mark Schenkel (saxophone, bari), Terry Moo (trumpets), Tom Cunningham (trumpets), Bill Karow (trumpets, split lead), Michael Ragan (trumpets), Doug Harris (trumpets), Marc Dickman (trombones), Craig Booth (trombones), John Voss (trombones), Adren Hance (trombones), Ed Krout (rhythm section, piano), Philip Booth (rhythm section, bass), and Stephen Bucholtz (rhythm section, drums).
“Last night was one of the most memorable musical events in my 32 years at UF,” expressed UF School of Music Professor Dr. Russell L. Robinson. “I was flooded with memories as well as great music . . .”
The Bobby Shew Lead Trumpet Scholarship was established in the College of the Arts for exemplary jazz trumpet students performing in the UF Jazz Band. Started with a generous gift from Dr. Michael Ragan, who also performed in Saturday night’s concert. The scholarship has so far been awarded to one student continuing Shew’s legacy with the ongoing efforts to raise funds to create an endowment.
UF music alumni and friends are excited about the possibilities this scholarship holds for up and coming musicians hoping to possibly one day follow in any one of their footsteps. Please help support their efforts by making a donation online at this link.
For more information about giving to the Bobby Shew Jazz/Lead Trumpet Scholarship, contact Jennifer Coolidge, director of development for UF’s College of the Arts, at 352-846-1211 or jcoolidge@arts.ufl.edu.
To see photos of the concert, follow this link to Mark Anthony Imaging’s Bobby Shew photo album.
