Cleveland Jazz Orchestra Remembers 1968

Even a brief summary of 1968 reveals a staggering cavalcade of historical turning points. The year saw the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., the launch of the Tet Offensive in Vietnam, three Apollo missions, comebacks for both Elvis Presley and Richard Nixon, and an escalating protest movement crackling between the U.S. government and anti-war student protesters.

“In a lot of ways, 1968 was one of the most important years since World War II,” says Cleveland Jazz Orchestra artistic director Paul Ferguson, who leads the orchestra in the Oct. 21 commemorative concert, Dreams of 1968, at the Ohio Theatre. “This will be part concert, part party, part rally.” With performances by the Cleveland School of the Arts JazzArt Ensemble, the program highlights jazz pieces from and inspired by the year’s major moments. “It will be the sounds of that period that are also timeless,” Ferguson says. He shares the history behind four potent pieces.

“Revolution”

Reconciling anti-war attitudes with tentative trust in the establishment, this chugging ditty was the B-side to the Beatles’ smash “Hey Jude,” released Nov. 22, 1968. Written by John Lennon, the song took a cynical view of protestors but became an anthem nonetheless. “It almost sounds like the song ‘Kansas City,’ ” says Ferguson. “It’s a funky shuffle that works well as a down and dirty jazz arrangement.” 

“MacArthur Park” 

Few understand the deeper meaning behind this melodramatic ballad about a cake melting in the rain, but that didn’t stop the Richard Harris lament from reaching No. 2 on the Billboard charts in 1968. “I’ve always thought it was a metaphor for dreams,” says Ferguson, who leads a new spin on Maynard Ferguson’s big band instrumental version of the song. “I’ll probably recite some of those lyrics.”

“Power to the People”

The empowering title track from Lima, Ohio, native Joe Henderson’s 1969 album was groundbreaking jazz when released and still packs a revolutionary punch five decades later. “Joe was one of the greatest tenor sax players of all time,” says Ferguson. “This has a theme of activism, but also happens to be a great tune.” Henderson assembled an all-star cast of musicians for the eight-minute plus recording — including a keyboardist by the name of Herbie Hancock.

The Kennedy Dream

This album was one of jazz composer Oliver Nelson’s most personal works, released in 1967 as a tribute to slain President John F. Kennedy. Nelson used taped segments of JFK’s speeches as preludes to a suite of ethereal songs featuring both strings and jazz solos. “The music became relevant again after Robert Kennedy’s assassination [in 1968],” says Ferguson. “[Nelson’s] son recently rediscovered the score and is working to make his father’s music available again.”