Student Jazz Swings at East Meadow Public Library

Visitors to the East Meadow Public Library were given a rare treat Saturday, three stellar hours of jazz music and dance, presented by regional high school groups. In a word, the performances Saturday were awesome -- an afternoon of pounding swing jazz ensembles, driving saxophone and trombone solos, soaring choral numbers, rousing choreography and glittering dance routines that had the audience moving.This is the fourth year for the jazz festival at the East Meadow Library."My first love is Jazz Music, and my idea is to promote students' appreciation for jazz, let young people know it's not a lost art form," said Napoleon Revels-Bey, organizer of the 2010 Nassau Performing Arts Jazz Festival. "And the public too. I've felt there wasn't enough jazz presented to the public, other forms of music, yes."The afternoon was hosted by WBGO jazz radio personality Rob Crocker, and featured an appearance by the Earl William Jazz Ensemble -- "elder statesmen" of jazz, noted Revels-Bey. But the stars of the day were the students of Uniondale, Hempstead and Clarke High Schools, who turned the normally staid downstairs meeting room of the library into a swinging, swaying inferno for three hours.First up was a dance troupe from the Lutheran Church of the Epiphany in Hempstead, led by Bonita Bishop-Johnson. Named the Aspiring Young Artists, the group went through four or more costume changes in a riveting set that included African, tap, jazz, hop hop and musical theatre moves. Next came  the Hempstead High Jazz Orchestra, led by Benjamin Coleman, showing off what they'd learned at the Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp in New Orleans last summer, including everything from Latin-based numbers like "Oye Como Va" to the decidedly bluesy-cool Miles Davis piece, "Freddy The Freeloader."Uniondale High School's Knight Time Jazz Band, under the direction of Colton Wynter and Francis Abel, marked their third appearance at the library and practically set the place on fire, demonstrating why they are internationally recognized talents -- revving up classic jazz repertoire numbers like "Sweet Lucy Brown" and Coltrane's "Naima."The W.T. Clarke High SchoolJazz Choir, led by Robin Hall, anchored the student portion of the afternoon, starting off with a samba-like rendering of Laura Nyro's "Stone Soul Picnic," and following with other group and solo numbers from the American Songbook -- including Mike Rosenberg crooning "Our Love Is Here To Stay," Sarah Shaiman singing a lovely "Someone To Watch Over Me," and a confident trombone duet with Hall by Eric Ratner, featuring the great "Unforgettable."All in all, an afternoon not to miss -- and if there was an applause meter in the East Meadow Library Saturday, it would've registered in the red zone."The kids were great, and the price is right--free," said Revels-Bey afterward. He's hoping to continue the series next year, and would like to expand it to include more venues. "Large and small ones," he said. "To old people and young, to the Spanish-speaking community too. Everyone should be exposed to jazz."Nassau Performing Arts is located at 635 Southern Parkway in Uniondale.