2018-2019 Jazz Band
Rehearsals are Tuesday and Friday mornings beginning at 7:00 AM.
This page is being edited to make it easier to find what you need!
FOR CURRENT RECORDINGS, go to the Jazz Listening Page!
Subdirectory:
MMEA District II Judges’ Comments (3/1/18)
Alligator Boogaloo
Here is an original combo version by the Lou Donaldson Quintet:
Soloists, some great ideas here!!
Here is OUR version arr. by Mr. White:
Another version (also Lou Donaldson Combo–different personnel, recorded live. Notice the difference in solos.
3 AM: http://www.ejazzlines.com/3-am-medium-easy-swing-ballad-jazz-big-band-arrangement-by-paul-baker
Listen to style (laid back swing, always holding back on tempo!); listen to background figures and how they fit!!; remember in the solo section, Luke’s doing the whole thing but backgrounds are as written!!
Yardbird Suite:
This is our arrangement!
I think it might be PJO (Portland Jazz Orchestra) playing it…
This is an original version with Charlie Parker:
2016-2017 Listening List:
2017 UNH Jazz Festival Comments and “Clean” Recording:
NICE JOB everyone! We have some work to do, especially on the ballad, before our concert next week. Please take the time to listen carefully to the judges’ comments.
Mr. O’Dell (from Boston Conservatory)
Stereo Recording (no comments)
D3 Jazz Comments:
Here are the comments from our D3 Judges! I’m really proud of your performance and your hard work to get to where we are! Go you!!! There are things for us to work on as we prep for UNH! PLEASE listen to both judges with your music in front of you so you can mark things! There are some pretty specific things for various sections: balance, some ideas for drummers to change things up a bit, a few articulation things…
Brass players: BOTH judges commented about bells in stands. We need to fix that!!! 🙂
2015-2016 Listening List:
State Jazz Comments:
Here you go! UNH comments and a “clean” stereo recording of our performance. Listen to the “clean” recording with your music and mark places where you hear intonation issues/wrong notes/ensemble issues (entrances not together, note endings not together, etc…) If it’s something in YOUR section…or YOU, mark it boldly! If it’s in another section, mark it lightly. We’ll talk about some spots in rehearsal.
Here are the comments from our D3 Judges! I’m really proud of your performance and your hard work to get to where we are! Go you!!! There are things for us to work on as we prep for UNH! PLEASE listen to all 3 judges with your music in front of you so you can mark things! You’ll hear some very specific things for sections (wrong notes, balance things, etc…) and some general ensemble things.
(Note: Be patient with Mr. Smith’s comments. It’s harder to hear the band and it almost sounds like there is nothing on the beginning of the recording BUT there are some really helpful comments. Listen to the whole thing!!)
2014-2015 Listening List:
Jazz Residency Program:
1. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
Here’s the Buddy Rich version for inspiration:
Here’s our arrangement:
http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10355608
2. Blues in the Closet
This is a combo arrangement with Stanley Turrentine. It’ll give you a good “feel” for the piece! https://youtu.be/N8WAvTmJuKk
Here’s a big-band arrangement (although not the same arranger that we’re playing). BTW- check out ANYTHING and EVERYTHING by this band! This is a high school group from Japan (all girls!). They are FABULOUS!!!!!
3. Freddie The Freeloader
Here’s Miles Davis:
4. The Blues Walk
Here’s the arrangement we’re playing:
Here’s the Clifford Brown combo version:
5. Little Brown Book
Here’s Mr. White’s arrangement. This is what we’re playing!
Here’s the John Coltrane & Duke Ellington version. It’s just beautiful. Listen to how Coltrane (on tenor) “plays” around with the melody 🙂
UNH Videos (thanks Mrs. Duffy!)
BJH
UNH Jazz Ensemble with Bobby Watson and Terell Stafford
Lexington HS Jazz EnsembleBoston Latin HS Jazz Ensemble
UNH Jazz Festival (3/14/15)
MMEA D3 Jazz Festival (2/25/15)
Paquito’s Revenge
http://alfred-music.com/product_info.php?item_no=36019
Listen carefully to articulations and solos!
Mr. White suggested you listen to this. It’s what Paquito’s Revenge is based on…After you listen to this, do a you tube search for “Paquito D’Rivera” and listen to anything he’s playing on!! 🙂
Topsy
Count Basie’s original version (recorded in 1937!) Listen for style!!
This recording is NOT played by a band (all synthesized parts)…but it gives you an idea of tempo, etc….