By Summer Kiswani, Phoenix staff writer

Orbert Davis’ Soul Migration jazz show came to GSU on Saturday night. The talented band of nine put on a two-hour show full of wonderful tunes that represented African American history.

Each person in the band had time to shine with their instrument as they each took turns soloing. They played the trumpet, sax, flute, clarinet, oboe, piano, vibraphone, guitar, electric bass, and drums. 

The band’s lead singer, Maggie Brown, took center stage in the second half of the show. Brown performed the words of John Fountain in her gospel segment with great passion. Each jazz piece had a unique feel with a variety of different tempos. The mood matched the theme of each performance by Brown, where she sang about the experiences of African Americans in the South during the Great Migration and Jim Crow eras. The storytelling in her performance was captivating. It resonated with the audience, and had everyone clapping and cheering. Brown’s singing brought the music of the band to life. 

The show did a nice job of representing the history of African Americans and gospel music. They also incorporated a slideshow of images which really enhanced the performance. They showed pictures of African Americans, buildings, and a music studio from the 1950s and 1960s. 

Overall, the band put their heart and soul into their performance. This deserves a 9/10, and I would recommend it highly to jazz music lovers.