Trumpeter Zack Smith and his Beltway Brass Quintet add pizzazz to Christmas Eve with a jazzy program of TV holiday themes. Children and adults alike have happy memories of their favorite characters romping through the special programs that make the season joyful. Smith grew up in Michigan where his father was on the University of Michigan faculty and his uncle was his trumpet instructor. He remembers how the university marching band refused to let the school’s jazz band practice in the building, which has since been righted. Determined to study jazz, he enrolled in the University of North Texas famous for its jazz program that has started many of today’s great artists. When Smith moved to Washington on the advice of a friend who raved about the opportunities here for musicians, his classmate Chas T. Peterson soon followed.
Today, both are quintet members along with Merry Beth Hall, co-principal horn with the Richmond Philharmonic, Dan “Big Daddy” Haverstock on trombone and Tom Holtz, a member of the “President’s Own” United States Marine Band, on tuba. The latter four are heard at a variety of gigs all around town. When Smith is not performing with the quintet, he may be touring with Dixie Power Trio, which he founded in 1993.
| Onstage |
| Beltway Brass Quintet |
| Where: Kennedy Center Millennium Stage |
| When: 12 p.m. Saturday |
| Tickets: Free to all |
The group has released five CDs packed with New Orleans jazz, zydeco, Cajun, street parade and Louisiana style funk performed on guitar, accordion, cornet, tuba, bass guitar, drums, washboard, harmonica and vocals. Their outreach K-12 program of the music of Louisiana is welcome in schools around the country for its lessons celebrating diversity.
“Everyone loves Dixieland music because New Orleans jazz is authentic American music,” Smith said. “It’s the first true native form we came up with and this generation has rediscovered it by becoming aware of artists like the Marsalis family and Harry Connick Jr. and his big band.”
When jazz was at its height of popularity a generation ago, music students understood how to articulate it on their instruments, but youngsters today are puzzled about which notes should be played long or short to give the authentic sound. Smith solved the problem by writing a jazz articulation instructional book for high school and college big bands. He is pleased by the growing interest of today’s students in jazz and big bands and is always excited to perform on the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage.
“It offers a unique experience that allows young people to discover the joy of listening to world class musicians in a world class venue,” he said. “The staff is super nice and the audience is always appreciative. I hope that everyone who has the opportunity to attend finds how much fun it is to see and hear great players live. We need to spread the word so that young people will want to find enjoyment from listening to and learning to play music.”
