SPC's Keeling conducts community College All-Star Band

by Laura Norris, news editor

Dr. Bruce Keeling is a professor of music and the SPC Jazz Band Director. This is his 23^rd year at South Plains College. He also teaches at Eastern New Mexico University as an adjunct trombone professor. He teaches a variety of classes here at South Plains College such as jazz band, brass choir, low brass ensembles, low brass lessons, and music literature.

In the beginning he was always around people that played some type of instrument or sang. This being true he became very musically inclined himself. Even though he doesn’t sing as much as play he said that his “dad had perfect pitch,” and his “older brother had a great voice.”

He attended the University of Oklahoma and Arkansas State University. He received his doctorate in trombone performance from the University of Oklahoma, and his masters and bachelors from Arkansas State University.

He plays all over Lubbock and other surrounding south plains cities with Jazz Bands. He also plays in combos, Dixieland bands, rhythm and blues, classical music, brass trios and chamber music. He has performed with many groups in his past including The Temptations, The Dorsey Orchestra, Louie Bellson, Lou Marini, Rita Moreno, Bob Hope, Maynard Ferguson, and Dizzy Gillespie. He is the principal trombonist for the Lubbock, Roswell, and Big Spring symphonies.

In his live shows, there is definitely a mixture of moods. More of the symphonies that he plays in are very “relaxed and subdued.” He also plays for private lawyer parties and for bikers. “And those biker parties can get kind of crazy” as he lifts his eyebrows.

Some of Dr. Keeling’s musical influences include Frank Rosolino, Curtis Fuller, Count Basie, Benne Goodman Group, and Duke Ellington. More over Keeling said “and of course Louis Armstrong, he’s a classic.”

Each month consists of several shows, and his month of February is already booked. His next gig is the Roswell Symphony on February 1-3^rd, which is a formal traditional concert. He’s also playing a private party at the Frasier Pavilion on February 10^th, and his next symphony is at Big Spring on February 16^th and 17^th.

The SPC musical is coming up and he will be playing in that also. The play is called “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and it plays February 28 through March 4^th.  Also the Lubbock Symphony is coming up on February 27^th. It is the 60^th anniversary, and they are having Itzhak Perlman as a guest violinist. Itzhak Perlman is a very well-known, distinguished violinist who has been nominated for “Best Original Score” at the 73^rd Academy Awards.

In ten years Dr. Keeling hopes to still be teaching at South Plains College, and playing different shows in Lubbock and surrounding cities. He says the most rewarding thing when it comes to the SPC band is “getting to expose students to jazz music and to learn different styles such as swing, blues, and funk” which is a mixture between rock and jazz. “It’s great to inspire the students to play solos, and give them the motivation and confidence to go out there and accomplish their goals.”