Jazz in Stained Glass: Olivet Nazarene University Jazz Combo "Turnaround" in concert
When
Sunday, 10th November 2019
3:00 pm-4:37 pm
Where:
First Presbyterian Church of Kankakee | 371 E Court St. Kankakee
Event Description
Jazz in Stained Glass
featuring Turnaround, Jazz Combo from Olivet Nazarene University
Sunday, November 10, at 3pm the Jazz Combo, Turnaround, from Olivet Nazarene University will present a free concert in our beautiful 140-year-old sanctuary surrounded by three sides of stained glass. After the concert, a reception will be held and a church tour offered focusing on of the history of the church and the stained-glass windows. The high vaulted ceilings in the sanctuary create an extraordinary acoustical space.
The eight-person group is under the direction of Assistant Professor, Freddie Franken. Freddie was born and raised in Aruba, where he acquired an early love of hot weather, ripe mangos, and Gibson archtop guitars. His early interest in guitar was nurtured by the island’s rich musical and cultural traditions, specifically Brazilian, Latin, Afro-Cuban, and native Caribbean music. He began a full-time professional music career when he was 17, playing with dance bands, club orchestras, and Salsa bands at hotel clubs.
His teaching career started at the Aruban School of Music in 1981. Later he studied classical guitar at the University of Rhode Island, earned a B.A. from Governors State University, and graduated from the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston with a degree in Professional Music. He will complete his master’s in jazz performance in December 2019 from the University of Illinois.
Freddie is passionate about teaching others the beauty of jazz. One of his students, Zachary Ackerman, states “Prof Franken is a Godly man and I respect him dearly. He has had so many different experiences in his life and through that, he bestows that knowledge and experience to us to better our understanding of jazz and working as a combo.â€
In addition to his work at Olivet, Freddie works as a freelance guitarist for studio recordings, pit orchestras, and live stage performances. He conducts master classes, serves as an instructor and advisor to regional high school music educators helping to develop and teach guitar programs in local schools, and teaches at his private studio.