TJC concert features music 'Made in America'

The Tyler Junior College Annual Pops Concert, "Made in the USA", will be presented 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17 and 18, in Wise Auditorium on the TJC main campus.

Tickets are $5 and are on sale now at the TJC cashier's office in the White Administrative Services Center and can also be purchased at the box office each evening of the show.

All seats are unreserved, so early arrival is suggested.

Featured performing groups will be the pop/show group Harmony & Understanding and the TJC Jazz Ensemble.

Organized in 1971 in an attempt to bridge the generation gap and create an atmosphere of harmony and understanding, TJC's select singing ensemble is still dedicated to that idea after more than three decades.

Over the past 30 years, they have performed at Dallas Cowboy halftime shows (including

Superbowl XII), State Fair of Texas, Miss Texas Pageant, July 4th celebrations at the Cotton Bowl, Texas Rose Festival Coronation, Texas Breakfast Club in Washington, D.C., Carnaval in Nice, France, Sister City Concert in Yachiyo, Japan, Millennium Concert Series and Parade in London, England, Pearl Harbor Naval Base and Schofield Army Base in Hawaii, Ramstein Air Base in Germany and numerous schools, regional, state and national conventions, and on national television.

This year, Harmony & Understanding's performance features songs and dances that made America great.

The group is directed by Dr. Cheryl Rogers and choreographed by Candy Crocker Jordan.

"Join us as we salute Hollywood movies and early Broadway shows," Rogers said. "We'll take you to New Orleans for jazz

and Motown for soul and even throw in a little Nashville country."

Harmony & Understanding members are: Lesley Bell, Keller; Marlana Brittain, Sabine; Stephanie Cason, Mesquite; Beau Garland, Van; Bryant Huey, Tyler; Shree Johnson, Gilmer; Lindsay Laperrire, Whitehouse; Dana Padgett, The Woodlands; Michael Roberts, Whitehouse; Cameron Royall, Athens; Chester Tippen, Fairfield, Pa.; Justin Velnosky, Van; Whitney Wilson, Van; and Spencer Young, Tyler.

The TJC Jazz Ensemble has provided performance opportunities for interested students with the TJC band program for more than 30 years.

In recent years, the Jazz Ensemble competed in the McNeese State University Jazz Festival, winning first division in Concert and Sight-

Reading and Outstanding Junior College Band in 1997, and received unanimous first division ratings at the Temple Jazz Festival in 2000.

Recent travels include Hawaii to perform for troops awaiting deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq, and Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

The TJC Jazz Ensemble also performs for a variety of campus and community events throughout the year.

On March 23 they will be hosting the Tyler Junior College Jazz Festival, featuring the TJC Jazz Ensemble with guest artist Vince DiMartino.

Joining with the "Made in America" theme, the Jazz Ensemble will feature swing, Hank Williams Sr., Blues Brothers, and Louis Armstrong numbers.

The Tyler Junior College Jazz Ensemble is directed by Heather Mensch.