The Saint Charles East Jazz Band Concert was definitely the place to be on Tuesday, October 26. The Norris Cultural Arts Center audience was amazed by the musicians of Jazz Workshop, under the direction of Mr. Jim Kull, and Jazz Band, under the direction of Mr. Gil Wukitsch, they played a great first concert for the year.
The concert started off with “Sweet Georgia Brown” with Matthew Hall soloing on piano by Bernie, Pinkard, and Casey, arranged by Charles Sayre. “Sweet Georgia Brown” is an upbeat song with a catchy melody that’ll have you hooked. Soloing on piano again was Matthew Hall during their next song “Blue Willow” by Rich Woolworth. Starting out with a very jazzy feel the song brings you back to when the blues were all that was played.
Next up was “In a Mellow Tone” by Duke Ellington, arranged by Mark Taylor with soloist Ethan Grimes on trombone and Ryan Katz on trumpet. This song was by far one of my favorites with its syncopated rhythm and swinging notes and it has become a staple in many jazz bands. Ending their section with a bang the band played “Horace’s Bag” by Pete McGuinness featuring Jamie Heuser on Alto Sax and Ethan Grimes on trombone. The funky groove made the song very enjoyable and was a great transition into the songs played by Jazz Workshop.
Jazz Workshop played a variety of songs with amazing soloists. The soloists included Quinn Sidor on bass, Fiona Florizoone on piano, Devin Reder on drums, Arthur Sharaburyak on tenor saxophone, Hollister Schneider on alto saxophone, Andrew Seltz on baritone saxophone, Alec Fiden on trombone, Rose McClure on trombone, Benjamin Hommowun on trumpet, and Carter Davidson making his Jazz Workshop solo debut on trumpet. The band played “Tour de Force ” by Dizzy Gillespie, arranged by Michael Philip Mossman. This song featured trumpet and tenor sax and had a very distinctive harmonic progression.
“Solar” by Miles Davis, arranged by John Wasson was a great song that went amazing around the whole band. With one of my favorite instruments being featured, “Have Bass Will Travel” by Bob Curnow was a hit. It’s a great song to hear the, not so often featured, bass who had many solos.
Jazz Workshop also played “Moon River” by Henry Mancini, arranged by Billy Byers. It had a wonderful swing jazz feel and was played very nicely by the musicians. “Children of the Night” by Wayne Shorter, arranged by Mark Taylor featured a variety of instruments. The song started with an amazing drum solo that got you hooked. The concert ended spectacularly with “Here Comes the Sun” by George Harrison, arranged by Mike Tomaro. This was absolutely my favorite song, incorporating the catchiness of the original tune while adding a jazzy vibe.
The concert was an amazing performance from all the musicians and I’ll sure be at the next one. Saint Charles East has a variety of concerts from Pops to Classical and everything in between. Concerts are an amazing way to relax from a stressful day of school or to take a break from a rigorous studying schedule, and since there’s such a wide variety, you’ll surely find something you enjoy. It’s also a great way to support your fellow Saints. Going to a 45-minute concert to show the musicians your support for their hours of practicing is an amazing way to be part of the school community.
Concert dates are posted on the school website on the calendar and if you have any questions you can email any of the music teachers.