by Julie Parkins

Jeri Brown and her students plan to take you on a musical journey into the past. Brown is directing her jazz repertoire class, along with the jazz choir The Conchords and members of her private studio, in an original musical called Bring ’Em Back.

Written by Canadian musician Ron Paley, with lyrics by Alexander Marshall, the musical highlights the sights and sounds of the 1940s.

“It’s about two radio DJs doing a radio show in space. They have this guy come on the show who wants to go back in time to see the big bands and he has this device that does it,” explained student Ryan Charron.

“He meets this girl in the ’40s, and they end up falling in love. Basically, it’s a big musical with numbers about bringing back the Big Bands and combining them with today’s pop music.”

The jazz repertoire class presents a production every year, with students acting, singing, playing and dancing as well as assuming production roles. It’s all part of learning the ropes, and being ready to perform in a variety of roles when they graduate.

“It gives us experience for the future, all of us,” said Sabine Dieudonne, who besides dancing and singing in the show is responsible for publicity. “Whether we are actors, or singers, performers or artists, it gives us courage to do something like this later on.”

A student choreographer, Kamela Brownrigg, helped with the production of the show, which delighted Brown. “I’m also a choreographer, and it’s been delightful to sit back and watch a student go forward and work with another student,” she said. “Sometimes it doesn’t gel just the way you’d like, but they have loved her and she has helped them bring out all sorts of things.”

Brown’s own jazz choir, The Conchords (Concordia, chords — get it?), will open both acts with a combination of gospel and jazz, and Brown is keen to introduce them to the public.

“I think that with the weather getting cooler, people want to get warmed up. The jazz choir starts with energetic music from the gospel tradition, including Earth, Wind and Fire, and Aretha Franklin, and then we go right into the play,” she said.

“We will have an intermission, and then the choir will come back and inspire us again before act two. It’s a rollicking evening of music.”

Bring ’Em Back will be presented at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall on November 13, 14 and 15. Admission is free for students and $5 for the general public.