Lake Michigan College's Jazz Band will transform the Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre into an intimate jazz venue when performers and audiences share the stage for a unique concert experience at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22. The on-stage seating arrangement will create an immersive atmosphere, placing audience members in the heart of the performance.
LMC Jazz Band will perform a diverse repertoire spanning swing, samba, and salsa. A highlight of the evening will be El Abrazo, translated to "The Embrace," which celebrates the memory of a young man who loved music and loved his peers.
Shane, the subject of the song, was quick to give hugs to anyone who needed them. Shane passed away due to a heart defect right before his senior year. The pulse at the beginning and end of the piece represents his heart, and the music that follows reflects his love for life.
The LMC Jazz Band is made up of students and community members including Rodger Payne, Tammy Tallis-Crowner, Isaiah Stackman, Victoria McLaurin, Mackenzie Erickson, Mason Stier, Aiden Miracle, Doug Gillespie, Monica Harpole, Yosgart Cruz, Heather Dodge, Dan Ward, Joey Hayman, Luis Sanchez, Jonathan Orlando, Dale Reuss, Deyton Lee, Zechariah Childs, Nathan Dokter, Alexandra Lee, Guy Tardi, and Ne'Sha Heard-Bettison.
Tickets are not required for this free general admission event.
For more information about the LMC Visual & Performing Arts department and performances, visit lakemichigancollege.edu/arts, email mmcaffrey@lakemichigancollege.edu, or call 269-927-8876.
About the Lake Michigan College Visual & Performing Arts Department
The Visual & Performing Arts Department allows students to reach new levels of excellence through classroom instruction and public performance. Many programs, including instrumental and vocal music, theatre, and dance, are based in the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center, the only performing arts center of its kind in southwest Michigan. Here, LMC students have opportunities to study the performing arts in a venue that attracts thousands of patrons annually. Programs including drawing, painting, and graphic design allow students to explore the possibilities in the visual arts.
Auditions are held for select ensembles that perform on the same stages as world-renowned touring acts. Students in any major also have opportunities to audition for Broadway musicals and plays and join two different vocal ensembles, string and wind ensembles, a pop-rock ensemble, and jazz band. One of only two colleges in Michigan to carry the prestigious All-Steinway designation, LMC has a team of highly qualified faculty that bring real-world expertise to the classroom.
Posted September 30, 2025