By Angelina Herrera
On November 15, the jazz ensemble performed in Highlander Hall. Students played instruments varying from the trumpet to the saxophone. What did not vary, however, was the students’ dedication.
One of the ensemble’s favorite pieces to showcase was “Birdland,” a jazz/pop song by the band Weather Report. They chose to close their concert with this fun piece.
“They really seemed to have a lot of fun learning it and playing it,” director and visual and performing arts teacher Joseph Cooper said.
The jazz ensemble practiced much of the semester as well as learned new songs for an enthusiastic performance.
“We’ve spent most of this past semester preparing for this concert,” senior Adam Alibhoy said. “This primarily involved receiving and learning the music, and we were getting new songs even up until a few weeks before the concert. But, everything came together in the end.”
“We are actually really friendly and open to new people. Though this is my first year in Jazz, I have loved every second of it as the jazz band is mega fun due to the party and snazzy feeling our music instills in us,” senior Sebastian Florez said.
Jazz is a genre of music that evolved in the 20th century and is characterized by improvisation and syncopation. Jazz music has a very regular and defined rhythm throughout the piece.
Although there are instruments common to jazz such as piano, brass, and woodwinds, some ensembles such as ours also include guitar and violin.
Creating music as an ensemble takes dedication for all the players involved.
“My role as lead trumpet player is to serve as a model for my fellow trumpeters in terms of style, articulations, phrasing, and effect,” Florez said. “Beyond my section, I coordinate musically with my fellow section leaders to create a unified sound that amplifies the piece we play.”
The jazz ensemble will continue to practice and hone their craft. They plan to hold a spring concert next semester with the orchestra.
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