Murray State University's first crowd-sourced fundraiser ended with the successful printing of the MSU Jazz Orchestra album "Why We Can Have Nice Things," now available at the University Bookstore, featuring 13 classic tunes, including "Hope Swings Eternal," "Walkin' and Swingin'" and "Why Don't You Do Right." Director Dr. Todd Hill stops by Sounds Good to preview some songs and his solo performance tomorrow for Carson Center Fridays @ 5.
"It's not good for a student band, it's just good." - Dr. Todd Hill
This recording was made just prior to the band traveling to perform at the prestigious Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago with engineering by Justin Patton of MSU Recording Services.
The third track, "Walkin' and Swingin'" (which you can hear in the interview above) is a direct transcription of the work written by Mary Lou Williams in the 1930s, which the band - Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds of Joy - performed at the Carr Health building on MSU's campus for a school dance in 1936.
The title of the album is a play on the Gordon Goodwin song "Why We Can't Have Nice Things," which is the opening track on the album.
The release is available at the Murray State University Bookstore. Or contact Todd Hill at thill@murraystate.edu and he can help get you a copy.
Todd Hill performs at the Carson Center's Fridays @ 5 tomorrow until 7 p.m. sponsored by the MSU Alumni Association. More about this event.
