Rabon Bewley

By Nancy Brown

Contributing Writer

Rabon Bewley, one of the most energetic people on Midland College campus, took his Bariton Sax and love of jazz to the people of Volgograd, Russia. For ten days this past July, he was with 25 musicians from across the United States who went with Global Missions Project , a Christian mission organization of musicians who minister to people around the world.

They performed nine concerts, gathering in the Volgograd Conservatory of Music, old concert halls, and The Friendship Fountain, a public space—comparable to what Central park is to New York City—off the Volga River. The great jazz standards, such as "In the Mood," caused audience members to shout the composer's name, "Glen Miller!" with a whoop of joy. They played "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Amazing Grace" and "When the Saints go Marching In," among many others. "They knew all of these songs," said Professor Bewley. When the vocalist began singing "Moscow Nights"—which she learned in Russian for the occasion—everyone in the audience sang with her.

After one performance an elderly woman came up, took Rabon's hand, kissed it, then pressed it against her cheek saying spasiba, "thank you," over and over again.

Such open emotion and welcoming of strangers is uncommon for Russians. "They are part of a survival culture and slow to accept the unfamiliar," said Rabon. One of the reasons Rabon and his fellow-musicians received such a warm reception is that many Russians grew up loving American jazz, but had to listen to it covertly. "Under Stalinist rule, during the 40s and 50s, such activity was tantamount to selling off yourself, your mother, your country," he said. "Now that generation could stand in the middle of Friendship Foundation, in public, and dance."

Professor Bewley found the musical experience "absolutely amazing!" and especially appreciated being part of the local culture, as much as one can be as a visitor in a foreign country. "As a working musician, I had the opportunity which made my stay much less 'touristy'... I was able to take the same bus, eat at the same restaurants, as the locals," he said. Inspired by this trip, his goal is to introduce a travel component to the MC music curriculum so his students can enjoy similar educational adventures.

Volgograd is a long way from home for this self-described "farm boy," who hails from Locust Grove, Oklahoma. While his father and uncle were out running their dairy farm, 14-year-old Rabon was cranking Count Basie, Maynard Ferguson and Duke Ellington in the giant console of his parents' living room. "I would shove those eight-tracks into that machine and practice until all hours, playing my solos with the music. I probably drove my mom and dad crazy," he said. After he studied and performed in jazz bands as a youth, Rabon earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Southeastern Oklahoma State University and his Master  of Arts in Music from Pittsburg State University. He's been animating the MC music program since 1999, teaching instrumental music full time, and running the MC Jazz band, a sought-after ensemble which plays at many MC and community events.

Rabon wants to work with Global Missions Project again, and also plans on returning to Russia, where a simply "bye" can be said with pa-ka. But many Volgogradians said do svidaniya to him, which translates to the much deeper, "until we meet again." When describing those moments, Rabon smiled, remembering. "When someone says do svidaniya, your heart just goes like this," he said, patting his chest. So, of course his replay was, "I will come back for you."