Cassidy showcases talent in senior guitar recital

Sounds of blues and guitar riffs echoed through the Mari Sandoz Chicoine Atrium Friday evening as Patrick Cassidy, 26, of Scottsbluff performed his senior guitar recital. 

The show began at 7 p.m. and lasted about half an hour. Cassidy was joined by a bass, saxophone, trombone, saxophone, trumpet and two guitars, all of which were played by his upperclassmen peers. 

The band played four songs. Among these tunes Cassidy said he most enjoyed learning and playing Kenny Burrell’s popular jazz blues song “Midnight Blue”, and “Four”, by Miles Davis. 

“It’s much more difficult to play jazz and for people to appreciate it as much as mainstream music. So I only throw in jazz when I’m perfectly sure I am able to play it well,” Cassidy explained.  

Cassidy plans to move to Orlando and be an intern at a music promotional company that sponsors artists and represents them in the media. 

“Guitar has been with me since I was 12 and I’m now 26 so having taken lessons during that time between being a young kid and now, it’s made all the difference as far as the people that are in my life that encourage me to keep playing.” Cassidy said.

The next senior recitals will be Saturday at the Mari Sandoz Chicoine Atrium, and will feature trombonist Allen Kissack of Sidney, who plays at 3 p.m., and clarinetist Bryony Trump of Sterling, Colorado.