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| Cherokee Jazz Band alumni, with current Cherokee teachers D. Michael Lynch and Tim Aucello |
I have been to a lot of school
concerts, both as a student and as a parent, but nothing compares to the night
of music I just witnessed.
Mr Phillips (affectionately known as EP to 11 years worth of
Cherokee students) explained that the performance was to showcase the past,
present and future of the Cherokee music programs. Answering my second question, he explained why we were in the band room
– the Performing Arts Center was a little too formal - this was jazz. He wanted
people up close to the music, as he knew as a middle school student, this was
something that would have affected him and made him want to join Jazz Band. He wanted to create ‘music that hits you in
the face’.
For both current students and alumni, the band room must feel like home. Many of them spend at least 2 hours a day in that room for Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble, plus they frequently end up spending their 'Lunch and Learn' down there as well, practicing or just eating with their friends. Not to mention the countless hours during Marching Band season. For the alumni, I imagine it was quite a treat and filled with nostalgia to be back in that room again.
For both current students and alumni, the band room must feel like home. Many of them spend at least 2 hours a day in that room for Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble, plus they frequently end up spending their 'Lunch and Learn' down there as well, practicing or just eating with their friends. Not to mention the countless hours during Marching Band season. For the alumni, I imagine it was quite a treat and filled with nostalgia to be back in that room again.
The answer to my first question, why another concert, was quickly apparent - this was to be a different kind of concert. It was much looser with fewer rules, more laid back. Instead of their traditional concert black, many of the performers wore ugly Christmas sweaters.
The music began with performances by the Jazz Bands from both middle schools - the future of the Cherokee music programs. The high school has been making a tremendous effort over the past few years to include middle school students in their events - from inviting them to sit and perform with the Marching Band during a football game to joining them onstage at their Winter Concert. The night of jazz was a new event to reach out to the next generation of musicians.
The Demasi Middle School Jazz Band and the Marlton Middle School Jazz Band each performed two numbers, including 'You're a Mean One Mr Grinch' and the Peanuts theme song. I would have expected the children to be nervous in front of the large (and very close) crowd, but based on the number of Marlton Middle School students asking their director for solos during one of their numbers, they all seemed eager to showcase their abilities.
Following the middle school bands was the Cherokee Jazz Improvisation band. Jazz Improvisation is a course offered at Cherokee to teach 'skills that it takes to improvise the jazz idiom'. Auditions are required to take the class, and this years class has 6 students. Not all were available for this performance, so EP joined in on bass trombone. The students played an original piece (though they were unsure of the title), featuring clarinet, bass clarinet, stand up bass, drums, keyboards and bass trombone.
The main event followed - the performance of the Nutcracker Suite by the Cherokee Jazz Band and a group of Cherokee Jazz Band Alumni. I had been told by my son that the bands would be trading songs back and forth, but what I didn't realize was that they would be going back and forth during songs. And for an ensemble that had only one practice together the previous evening, it was seamless!
To get this night to come together, EP reached out to some of his former students, most (all?) of whom are currently studying music in college or have careers in music. There were a couple of high school music teachers, an elementary school music teacher, several currently studying for their Masters Degree and at least one professional musician. It was obvious from watching the alumni that EP is the type of teacher that really affects the students he comes in contact with, and the response to his invitations was so great that the alumni band had to rotate members in and out between songs, because there weren't enough chairs and parts to accommodate them. While the alumni didn't all play in the Cherokee Jazz Band during the same years, the camaraderie was readily apparent due to their shared experience. Laughter abounded and they hung on each other's solos with anticipation and awe. EP even acknowledged the return of the alumni's parents and how great it was to have them in the room again.
This night was meant to be fun. And it was. EP seemed to take great delight in trying to get his kids to laugh during their solo. How the two bands were able to play together, some times all at once, other times one band watching another, and most impressively trading licks back and forth between songs was phenomenal and flawless.
Based on the standing room only crowd and the thunderous applause, I have no doubt that this will become a yearly event. I highly recommend attending next year!
You can view a video I took of one of the songs played by the Alumni Band. I was sitting too close to the Cherokee Band to get a good video, but every proud parent had their phone out (and EP at one point told parents they should be recording and promoting this event), so I know there must be video out there.
If you are looking for some way to support the bands, please consider signing up for Amazon Smile, by going to Smile.Amazon.Com and selecting 'Cherokee Band Boosters Association Inc' as your charity. The Band Boosters will get a fraction of each purchase you make at Amazon at no cost to you.
For Cherokee music fans, my previous post about the 2017 NJ Champion Cherokee Marching Band