Taking note of jazz band
The audience finds its seats in the auditorium, anxiously awaiting the start of the concert. On stage, a group of musicians takes their places. Stage lights glint off shiny wind instruments, and after a brief count-off from band director Tanner Morgan, the jazz band bursts into their performance.
Edmond Memorial High School’s jazz band had its first concert of the year in October, with the two jazz classes, JV and varsity, performing several songs they learned over the past few months. Jazz band differs from a typical band or orchestra because the performers do not rely on strict conducting or sheet music. To make up for this, the musicians focus almost solely on listening to recordings and other musicians to understand the music they are performing.
Some of the musicians, such as sophomore jazz drummer Jackson Moore, come up with their parts after listening to recordings of other musicians, which contributes to the ebb and flow of swing-style music.
“I don’t read the music,” Moore said. “I make it all up, which is kind of cool. You have to learn how to fit your part into other people’s parts. What you’re reading isn’t actually music; it’s cues or vibe changes, so you have to use your knowledge and [the sheet music] and kind of put the pieces together.”
Because jazz differs stylistically from classical music, it can be difficult for a classically trained musician to learn. As previously mentioned, typical orchestral scores rely heavily on the musicians aligning perfectly with what is written. Jazz is not written out or felt in the same way, requiring musicians to understand their instruments and music in an entirely different context.
“I think that performing concert band or orchestral literature involves a lot of discipline,” Morgan said. “It involves a lot of reading and a lot of clerical work. It’s not that jazz doesn’t, but to play successfully in a jazz ensemble, you have to be able to speak through your instrument and not be bound to the page.”
As a class, jazz band allows students to gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of music than a typical orchestra or band class might. As a result, these students spend immense amounts of time honing their listening skills to master swing and improvisation as well as tricky rhythms.
“[Learning jazz is] also understanding that swing is a spectrum,” Morgan said. “In any genre or time period or even city that the band was based in, how hard you swing a piece varies. You only learn that through listening. It’s impossible to teach that with words.”
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The JV jazz band showcased several pieces for the first concert of the year.
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Tanner Burdine played piano for the JV jazz band, which is an important element of jazz.
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The JV jazz saxophones surprised the audience during their last piece, “Critical Mass,” with sunglasses and powerful musicality.
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Varsity jazz bassist Ford Milacek plays both upright bass and bass guitar, switching between the two instruments during the performance.
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Madden Brakefield and Alex Cossey played trumpet together throughout the JV jazz band’s performance.
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The varsity jazz band performed four pieces at the concert, one of which they only prepared the day of.
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Jazz performances are interactive, prompting the audience to clap and cheer after solos and between songs.
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Cail Lemmons performed a solo interlude during the JV jazz band’s performance.
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Gavin Cromwell played both the saxophone during his performance with JV and the guitar with varsity.
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Band director Tanner Morgan introduced each varsity jazz band member individually before continuing the performance.
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Garrett Fullmer performed a solo during the varsity jazz band’s performance.
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Varsity jazz drummer Jackson Moore holds down the rhythm section.
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Carsten Halsne is the drummer for the JV jazz band.
Contact Emma Lynch and Taylor Brakenhoff at [email protected]