Issue date: 4/10/09 Section: The Verge

Olivier David will be performing a graduate jazz recital at 6 p.m. on Saturday in Room 1360 of the Doudna Fine Arts Center. The recital includes 18 musicians including David. (Cari Wafford/The Daily Eastern News)

Final exams are looming in the future of every student at Eastern, but in a way Oliver David has it worse than most: He'll need to provide his answer to an audience of professors and fellow students.

His graduate jazz recital will be his chance to provide one final piece of evidence that he deserves to leave Eastern this semester with a performance degree.

It will be a demonstration of not just his skills with a piano, but also his ability to write music.

The name of the recital, "Combinations," fits the way different influences will be mixed to create a new product.

The style elements range from boogie-woogie to classical music, with famous artists like Herbie Hancock-David's personal hero-and Duke Ellington serving as inspiration.

David wrote all of the pieces.

The largest piece in the recital will be "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)" by Duke Ellington, which will feature 11 musicians playing at the same time.

Putting together a piece that features so many players is a new experience for David, since he has handled only small groups of musicians until now.

Fortunately, David seems to have found a method of instruction that still lets the other players give their own input.

"It doesn't jeopardize my own artistic process," said Joe Burress, a senior percussion/performance major and drummer in the recital. "He doesn't put himself above other people."

The recital will have a total of 18 musicians, including David. "He's not stuck in one frame of mind," Burress said.

Playing jazz music in general is relatively new to him, as is playing publicly.

For most of his life, David specialized in classical music, moving to jazz because he felt it provides more freedom for the musician.

Originally from Mauritius, an island nation off the coast of Africa, David attended Oklahoma Baptist University.

The director there was an Eastern alum, and his influence led to David entering Eastern two years ago.

Until he had come to Eastern, he had only played on his own for fun, but he has made up for his lack of experience with diligence.

"He's really a professional-level player now," said Paul Johnston, who directs Eastern's Jazz Lab Band.

David's recital will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday, in Room 1360 of the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

He will be playing for a panel of judges taken from Eastern's faculty and staff.

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