Mixed Bag Um-dearborn

The Just Jazz Series at the Unversity of Michigan-Dearborn s into a tasteful musical bag. Last Friday, they presented Ann Arbor's own Mixed Bag. Led by Ron Brooks on acoustic and Fender bass, the band also features Gary Schunk (keyboards), Larry Nozero (reeds and flute), Dave Koether (percussions), Jerry Glassel (guitar) and Dan Spencer (drums). In addition to performing as a unit in many local clubs, the band also backed up the likes of Bob James, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Sarah Vaughn. However, as a separate entity the band runs the gamut of musical styles with soul, Latín and popular music influencing their particular brand of jazz. Ron Brooks and his entourage silently walked on stage and broke into a spacy, unstructured selection from their Tribe Records Lp, Mixed Bag 's First Album. The band 's second tion was considerably more uptempo, featuring Glassel's to-thepoint lead guitar work. The third tune, written by drummer Dan Spencer, was the high point of the first set, beginning with an intricate yet lyrical chord procession by bassist Ron Brooks and building up to a rousing finale by the whole band. The first set closed with "La Margarita" (from the Tribe Lp), featuring Nozero's wailing soprano saxophone. Following the ntermission the Bag cooked through a variety of up-tempo arrangements as each musician got the chance to display his ability as a lead player. All in all, the appreciative crowd of about 75 warmly received the band, leaving the tastefully appointed U of M-Dearbom Recreation Building with the good feeling that they had sampled another of Detroit's very capable contemporary jazz bands. On November 19 Just Jazz presents Gerry Niewood, longtime reedman for Chuck Mangione.