a musician's musician
Story By Mike Overall, Photo submitted

At 28, Corey Emerson is a professional bandleader’s dream come true. He is an eager-to-learn bassist/trombonist who is fast-tracking his way into that realm of performance where challenges are met with aplomb, and musical complexities, rather than approached with timidity as impossibly difficult, are just something new for the in-demand player to tackle.

An ASU graduate with a master’s in music performance, a bachelor’s in music education and an associate’s degree in music, Emerson is regarded by his fellow musicians as a player’s player. When on the bandstand, Emerson, band director at Hoxie Public Schools, is all ears, especially when the emphasis is on improvisation.

“Other than playing time, I feel like my most important job is to hear what the soloists and other musicians are doing.... I listen to what they ‘have to say,’ to what’s going on around me,” Emerson said.

Technically accomplished though he is, as well as firmly grounded in music theory, Emerson’s singularity as a player lies in his ability to communicate with his fellow players. He is a superbly musical player because he is learning at a dizzying pace the almost instinctive art of thinking as one with his fellow musicians, which engenders the empathy that allows advanced players to take the music to a higher, more artistic and energetic plane.

“Corey is an excellent bass and trombone player who just keeps getting better and better,” said trumpeter/bandleader Rob Alley, with whom Emerson has played many gigs. “He listens to what’s going on musically and plays a key role in tightening up the ensemble sound as well as raising the quality of improvisation in his solo passages.”

Another fellow musician echoed Alley’s sentiments. “Corey’s like a sponge in that he soaks up everything he hears. He processes it with astonishing speed and agility, which adds to the spontaneity of his playing.”

The Poplar Bluff, Mo., native is self-effacing, and oftentimes quiet and reserved when in the company of older, more experienced players, although he is hardly without a sense of humor. Musicians’ banter, which frequently borders on the ironic and the droll, is not lost on him. Furthermore, Emerson is his own most exacting critic. Listen to him play for a time, and chances are you will hear him mumbling to himself regarding what he should or should not have played in a specific passage.

“To quote one of my teachers,” Emerson said, “Dr. Ken Carroll (in ASU’s College of Fine Arts), ‘The only difference between a pro player and a non-professional is that a pro has practiced and prepared enough that you could call him at two o’clock in the morning and he would roll out of bed and proceed to play consistently well’.” The versatile instrumentalist practices on a regular basis and just keeps on learning, which is one reason why his musicianship is improving and refining itself on an almost daily basis.

Emerson is eclectic when it comes to the music he loves, but has a special affinity for jazz. Among his favorite musicians in Jonesboro and the area are trumpeter Dr. Ron Horton (director of jazz studies at ASU), vibist/drummer Craig Collison (ASU’s director of percussion studies), Rob Alley, pianist Joy Sanford, the versatile Grant Garland, drummer Mike Overall, bassist Derek Doyle and pianist/vocalist Paul Richardson, all of whom he has worked with in a variety of ensembles.

Rock and roll, jazz, country, rhythm and blues, classical music, pop, fusion ­– Emerson has played them all, and respects each genre or style for the challenges they pose to him as a musician who feels at home on the bandstand as well as the concert hall.

Emerson could spend several hours listing those great artists whose virtuosity and genius he admires to the hilt. His favorites range from Al Jarrueau and Ray Charles to Miles Davis and saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins.

“I’ve had the opportunity to work with such major players as Jon Faddis and Bob Mintzner, who taught me a lot about professionalism. And I once stage-managed a concert for the late trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, an amazing musician whose sheer love of music and playing made a lasting impression on me. Music was Mr. Ferguson’s life and he told me he enjoyed every minute of his fabulous career.”

Although Emerson was only eight when his musician father Ronald Emerson died, the patriarch of his family left a lasting impression on his son, who began playing bass and trombone when he was a teenager. He said several musically inclined relatives were an influence on him, but singled out his grandmother as his greatest musical mentor. “She taught me how to hear and sing harmony by ear ... something I have developed since then and has been fairly invaluable to me in my career.”

As a music educator, Emerson is a gifted teacher whose laid-back-but-serious demeanor stands him in good stead with his students. He possesses a special chemistry that draws young people to him. During a recent jazz studies/performance camp at ASU, Emerson was in his element. He praised the young players when they performed admirably and offered gentle but constructive criticism where and when it was warranted. Dozens of youngsters attended the camp, and Emerson was among them much of the time, offering encouragement, praising them for their efforts, championing the music he loves and playing alongside them in several different ensembles.

“I try to give students the experience of having fun and being successful in playing music,” he said. “Once they see they can achieve that, they are generally inspired to work harder in order to be more successful at what they do.”

Emerson’s work ethic is as solid as his bass lines, and he is the antithesis of the lazy musician who plays for no other reason than to have a good time. “Corey’s an exceedingly talented young musician and teacher who lives for the music he loves,” one fellow musician said. “Given his dedication and hard work, it’s only a matter of time before he becomes truly extraordinary at what he does.... His is a talent that will blossom into who knows what level of professionalism in the years to come.”

Emerson’s wife of almost three years, Lauren, is a talented actress who is pursuing a theater degree at ASU.

It’s a safe bet that for the Emersons, the show will always be going on, with performances that will be memorable as well as emotionally and intellectually charged.