It seems appropriate that in the year of the nation’s 250th anniversary, a performance by the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America should grace the stage of the Clayton Center for the Arts. And yet, this is no ordinary military band. The Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble, which will perform a free afternoon concert Sunday, Nov. 8, is made up of 18 professional enlisted musicians — 12 of them on this tour — with a repertoire that mixes traditional big band music, bebop, swing and modern jazz. A typical program ranges from contemporary composers to Count Basie and Glenn Miller, and several band members are composers and arrangers in their own right whose work is often featured in concert.
“We will be performing a variety of selections, everything from original music from members of the band to contemporary big band jazz and patriotic selections,” said Master Sgt. Colin R. Trusedell, the Band of Mid-America’s strategy and assessments coordinator and assistant director of operations, adding that while the band has played the Clayton Center before, it has been a number of years. “We are on an America 250/Veterans Day tour through the great state of Tennessee, and the Clayton Center has graciously agreed to host us! This will be our fifth show of our 10-day tour, which starts in Memphis and goes as far east as Bristol before ending in Chattanooga.”
The Band of Mid-America was established in 1942 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, during the World War II buildup, Trusedell said. It moved to Scott Air Force Base in Illinois in 1960 and now serves a 10-state region.
Over the years, the band has backed jazz greats including Tex Beneke, Denis DiBlasio, Jamey Aebersold, Mike Smith, Bobby Shew, Allen Vizzutti, Jeff Jarvis, Mike Vax, Vaughn Nark, Bill Porter, Carmen Bradford, Shelley Berg, Joe Morello, Steve Houghton and Walt Levinsky, and it’s often requested for jazz clinics and festivals around the country. Along with performing for heads of state, Shades of Blue has played the national anthem for the Chicago White Sox, the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks, and it paid tribute to the Air Force’s musical heritage in an acclaimed salute to Maj. Glenn Miller with the late actor Wilford Brimley.
“Although our band is not the primary band that performs for the president, many members of our band have had the honor to perform for our president,” said Airman 1st Class Levi Bennett, an operations representative in training and a saxophonist in the band. “The official role of this band is to support Air Mobility Command around the globe. I personally have been associated with the band for almost two years now. Prior to that, I was freelancing throughout Memphis.”
“All of our musicians are active-duty members of the United States Air Force and audition for the band before they enter basic training,” Trusedell said. “Once that’s completed, they are assigned to one of nine Air Force regional bands. We will have 12 members of our band playing for this tour.”
He added that the Air Force has more than 300 career fields, including dental technician, cook, police, paralegal and musician. “Our primary duty is music, but it also includes supporting functions such as logistics and operations for tours among many other duties,” he said. “Musicians will perform with the bands anywhere from four to 30 years.”
“I feel honored to use my talent to serve this country and connect with everyday citizens who may not see service members often,” Bennett said. “Most audience members generally enjoy our shows as they are catered to a wide variety of audiences.”
The Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble will perform from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8, in the Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre at the Clayton Center for the Arts on the campus of Maryville College, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville. Admission is free, but tickets are required — and as of Friday, the Clayton Center lists the concert as sold out.
If you go
What: U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America’s Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble
When: 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8
Where: Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre, Clayton Center for the Arts, Maryville College, 502 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville
How much: Free, but tickets are required (limit four per household) — currently listed as sold out
Tickets: claytonartscenter.com
