Jazz Band Entertains on the Brick Streets of Clinton

The MC Jazz Band features talented student musicians performing on Clinton's Brick Streets every Fall.

Belting out classic tunes by jazz greats Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Thelonius Monk, Mississippi College students will soon showcase their musical talents on the Brick Streets.

It’s that time of year again for the MC Jazz Band to shine during an October 18 dinner and show in Clinton’s historic business district.

Want to hear the “Girl from Ipanema” by Antonio Carlos Jobim or “The Mudbug Strut” by Paul Baker?  How about “Pennsylvania 6-5000” by Carl Sigman and Jerry Gray? The place to be is just a short walk from the Mississippi College campus.

The MC Jazz Band’s 2019-2020 edition consists of 19 students, with several Mississippians in the bunch. They include trumpet players Andrew Brown of Pearl, Anastasia Crout of Lake, Levi Perkins of Senatobia and Nathanael Smith of Jackson.

Trombonists featured include Jonathan Johnson of Clinton, Matthew Knight of Florence and Josh Waldbieser of Cleveland. The tuba player is Jackson Academy grad Bryant Thaxton of Raymond.

Rhythm section musicians include pianist Caitlin McCormick of Bruce and Brandon Pratt of Florence on drums.

MC Jazz Band students who live thousands of miles from home are saxophonists Isaac Tan of Malaysia and Nathan Schultz of Whittier, California. The vocalist is Enriqueta “Queta” Cavalier of Metairie, Louisiana. Other out-of-staters include trombonists Ann Marie Marshal of Prattville, Alabama, Christa Mullholand of Clearwater, Florida and Eugenie Salvant of New Orleans.

Craig Young, the MC band director, is encouraging metro Jackson jazz fans to enjoy the fun-filled Fall evening. The event in the university’s hometown is free.

There’s no need to listen to jazz on an empty stomach. There should be delicious food from Penn’s restaurant to satisfy the crowd with service to begin at 6 p.m. The music will fill the crisp air of Central Mississippi from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. that Friday. Young asks jazz fans to bring chairs and blankets.