Roslyn Jazz Project

The Jazz Band here at Roslyn has been like no other jazz band I have taught. Meeting after school during the 10th period as a class nobody came. I was shocked at the attendance my first year. People always had conflicts. I called Mr. Gazzo, my new friend and colleague who ran the high school jazz band the 2nd half of the 2002-2003 school year and he said the attendance was poor as well. I then went on to rehearse after school with poor attendance, requiring everyone to go but they still didn't. I had a mandatory rehearsal, picked really easy music, and pulled off a concert with a bunch of easy rock tunes and pretty much had a jam session my first year. People loved it, but it wasn't really a jazz band in the way that I was familiar with. The next two years became different jazz bands, including flutes and clarinets, having two bands, a studio and ensemble jazz, rehearsing after school and at night. Attendance was still poor. Now this year we are going to have a "real" high school jazz band. In order to make this band work I talked to Mr. Frey and am using the Chamber Singers, one of the most successful groups in the school, as a model for our Jazz Band. We are now having a standard high school jazz band which includes 5 saxes, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, and 4 rhythm section players, bass, drums, piano, and guitar. We will no longer have flutes and clarinets in the jazz band. This is the standard in high school jazz bands. In addition, we are remaining true to what the jazz band is, a select group of advanced musicians. Through auditions, I have chosen the people who will fill those spots. I am keeping track of the alternates who didn't make it so that they can fill the spots if people cannot make the committment of the rehearsal schedule. Rehearsals will be required. Each jazz band member will need to come to two rehearsals, one sectional and the full rehearsal on Friday during 10th period. Since this is a class, jazz band members are absolutely required to be there or they will have to relinquish their spot in the group. The jazz band will now be called the "Jazz Project." I am sorry that we will not have flutes and clarinets, and that jazz band members cannot be all inclusive, however this is a select group. The course offering for the jazz band has reflected this for the past two years. I will be doing an array of jazz and rock music with the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band to meet the needs of all the band students to learn the jazz idiom.