As another one of the major party weekends rolls around, the excitement on campus is palpable. Dartmouth students have a habit of building up events to mythic proportions — that’s half the fun — only to be satisfied, but not overwhelmed, when the weekend passes. For freshmen, this will be their first experience with a proud Dartmouth tradition, although I suspect most are seduced by the promise of raucous Greek parties rather than College-sponsored festivities on the Green. Of course, for those looking for variety, there are also exciting things going on at the Hopkins Center this weekend.
The Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble, a student musical group composed mostly of non-music majors, is set to perform this weekend with special guest Conrad Herwig. Named as the Number One Jazz Trombonist in the 2002 Downbeat Critics Poll, Conrad Herwig has played with a variety of highly regarded jazz bands including Joe Lovano Nonet and the Mingus Big Band, among others. Joining Mr. Herwig are two guest artists, trumpeter Walter White and percussionist Robby Ameen. The ensemble’s Winter Carnival concert is dedicated to ensemble director Don Glasgo, who is celebrating his 30th anniversary with the ensemble.
Herwig last visited Dartmouth in the Fall of 1999, joining Grammy-winner Eddie Palmieri in a Coast Goes Latin concert. Herwig’s nineties album Palmas with Palmieri is what caught Glasgo’s attention. He has described Herwig’s playing as “intense, intimidating and sophisticated: high and low, raw and refined.” Glasgo and Herwig have stayed in close touch since the latter’s last performance at Dartmouth. Indeed, Glasgo describes Conrad as one of his “dearest friends.”
His enthusiasm for the concert is shared by students across campus. “I have never seen a Barbary Coast performance before, but I have heard great things,” says Patrick Karas ‘08. “I am looking to check it out next weekend.”
Emily Greenberg ‘08, although similarly enthused, confessed unfamiliarity with the jazz genre, adding that she admired the difficulty of improvisation and that the concert has been on her schedule all term.
For film aficionados, Winter Carnival brings two of last year’s very best films to Dartmouth. The Loew series is showing “Nine Lives,” a highly acclaimed drama from Cuban director Rodrigo Garcia, son of the Nobel prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Garcia divides the narrative into a series of 10-minute single-take vignettes, focusing on the personal relationships in the life of a woman. The strong female cast includes veterans such as Holly Hunter, Sissy Spacek, Glenn Close, Robin Wright Penn and up-and-coming stars such as Dakota Fanning, among others. Noted film critic Roger Ebert named “Nine Lives” as one of the ten best films of 2005. “Nine Lives” is playing in the Loew auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Also playing this weekend is “Deep Blue,” a compelling documentary that captures the wonders of the ocean unlike any film before it. Directors Alistair Fothergill and Andy Byatt created the footage, which they captured by sending high-resolution cameras to the deepest reaches of the ocean, for their BBC series “The Blue Planet.” Pierce Brosnan narrates as entrancing sights of the sea unfold on the screen. If you liked last year’s nature documentary “March of the Penguins,” this one’s right up your alley. “Deep Blue” is playing as part of the DFS series in Spaulding Auditorium on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
So, if you want to mix it up a little bit this Winter Carnival, head on to the Hop and find out what you’ve been missing.
