West Ranch Wildcats and their families took their seats to watch West Ranch’s annual winter jazz concert on Dec. 4 in the theater. As the lights dimmed and the performers filled the stage in their black suits and attire, the audience directed their attention to the stage.
About The Music
Unlike previous years, this winter concert displayed new compositions and published music.
Lab and Studio A Jazz director and AP Music Theory teacher Mr. Leff, the mastermind behind this concert, further explained the arrangement of the concert. “With our Lab Jazz band, which is our lower level ensemble, we’re playing four pieces that just came out and were just published within the last year” and “[for] our Studio A Jazz band, we commissioned three composers to write music specifically for us, so we’re going to be premiering pieces that have never been played before, and then I wrote an arrangement for the students as well.”
Preparation Process
Get music, read through it, practice, perform. That is how practice typically goes. However, this concert’s practice following the performance is a bit different. Since the music has never been played before, the bands “get to make more creative musical decisions on the pieces where normally we have” a reference “so we want it to sound like the recording. But here, since it’s the first performance, we don’t have a real recording to go off of.” Instead of practicing to sound identical to the recording, the musicians take creative liberties in what the first performance will sound like.
The bands worked closely with the composers of the pieces. Since two of the composers live on the East Coast, they used Zoom to watch the class perform. One of the composers lives locally and was able to come in himself to help the bands shape his music into what he imagined it to be.
Lab Jazz:
The first act of Lab Jazz showcased four songs: Wes Montgomery’s “Boss City” arranged by Mike Kamuf, “When You’re Smiling” arranged by Mike Dana, “Payton’s Tune” composed by Rick Hirsch, and “Johnny One Note” arranged by John Wasson. As the performers flowed with the melody, music filled the air, creating a captivating experience for the audience.
Studio A Jazz:
After that, Studio A Jazz took the stage and gave the performance of a lifetime. Also with four pieces, they performed Chris Ott’s “Kalimera,” Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” arranged by Bob Lawrence, “Who Are We?” by Rick Hirsch, and the highlight of the night, Sam Greenfield’s “FUSIONCORE” arranged by Brian Leff.
FUSIONCORE: The Highlight of the Night
The piece FUSIONCORE, performed by Studio A Jazz, was not only a standout song for the performers but the audience. Featuring multiple solos, the song’s energy brought out the full effort of each student on stage, leaving the audience astonished. Freshman Sawyer Ylagan, who enjoyed the concert, added: “The highlight of the performance for me was probably after the solo section, when they all got really loud and energetic.”
With everyone having different experiences with the song, the performers had a lot to say about it. West Ranch Junior Alexander Eitel, who plays the lead alto saxophone in Studio A Jazz, was especially passionate about the piece. “I love the energy, I love the vibe. It’s a very offbeat song. I love the whole piece, it’s awesome. It just has that energy that just makes me feel good. It makes me wanna dance,” Eitel expressed. “That applause at the end was wonderful.”
This song was not easy to perform either, and it was difficult for the band to learn initially. Senior Robert Burns, a trumpet player in Studio A Jazz, noted there were “a lot of sixteenth notes and it was just overall very complicated.” With so many notes and jumps through a challenging song, all their hard work paid off in the end.
For some of our wildcats, jazz is not just about the music; it is a lifestyle. “I love that I can express myself. Music is my way to express myself; other people use their voices, other people use their writing, for me, that’s music” Eitel vocalized. “I love music above everything. It gives me a chance to express my emotions, and express my feelings. That’s what I love so much about jazz.” Through FUSIONCORE, Eitel, along with other performers, allowed the music to take over, creating an experience to remember.
Conclusion
As the concert closed, the audience began to file out–satisfied with the performers’ amazing performance. As Ylagan put it, “I feel in the mood to go home and listen to some jazz!” Wildcats, keep an eye out for future jazz concerts and performances, they’re sure to impress.
