Adam Dewalt, Loyola jazz performance senior, jammed with Solange as a part of her band on Saturday Night Live.
On Saturday, Nov. 5, Dewalt performed two songs with fellow Houston native as part of Solange’s most recent album release “A Seat at the Table,” which debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.
In preparing for the live show, Dewalt praised Solange’s skill and precision in picking and adjusting the overall sound of the group. Dewalt said he was also auditioned by PJ Morton, keyboardist for Maroon 5 and musical director for Solange, to make sure he fit in with what Solange wanted.
“She knows the music,” Dewalt said. “She knows how she wants it to feel like, how she wants it to be.”
Nick Volz, associate professor of classical and jazz trumpet, thought this was a great chance for his student Dewalt to use this opportunity with SNL to meet with new musicians and network. Volz added that Dewalt came into the school’s music program with a great class of trumpet students.
“When you’re in a strong class like that, they tend to inspire each other,” Volz said.
Dewalt’s fellow jazz and trumpeter senior, Abner Deitle, played with singer Josh Groban in Champions Square this July during his 2016 summer tour.
“You could say that there’s a movement from folks around the country trying to get New Orleans sound, as far as horn players,” Volz said.
Dewalt said that, in turn, New Orleans musicians do a good job at perceiving what people they are playing with want to hear.
“I think everyone has the perception that if you’re a musician in New Orleans that you’re killing and that you can pick up skills immediately,” Dewalt said.
Dewalt said his plans after graduation are to take a year off and then make preparations to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at University of California, Los Angeles. Although, Dewalt does not strictly define himself as a jazz musician.
“The music world is so small, especially for a trumpet player. Being a horn player, having a place to be in the band, some people don’t like having extra horns, some people do. But it’s all about how you fit in,” Dewalt said.
