On the Friday evening of May 1, both the Upper School Jazz Ensemble and the Jazz Combo traveled to Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge for a night of music. Under the direction of Mr. Glenn, the bands performed a variety of both jazz and fusion music. This performance was particularly heartfelt, as it was the final concert for seniors Eric Dawson, John Lazor, and Benny Wanger. At 7:00p.m., the doors opened and parents, friends, and teachers filled the room. While dining on BBQ ribs and pulled pork sliders, guests listened to the groups play their best music from the year.
The Jazz Combo kicked off the night with their first set of 3 tunes. Members included pianist Lucas Jurgensen, bassist Juan Carlos Fernandez del Castillo, guitarist Sean Rayment, drummer Scott Jackson, David Yellen and Jack Richards on alto sax, and William Weiter and Brian Tanabe on tenor sax. They played a variety of jazz classics, including selections by Dizzy Gillespie, Grant Green and Miles Davis.
After a round of applause, the Jazz Band took the stage to perform their first set. It was the first set for guitarist Eric Dawson, Marshall Knight on Bari Sax, Ethan McIlhenny on Tenor Sax, Mr. Glenn on alto sax, Armin Thomas on trombone, John Lazor, Benny Wanger and John Paul Champa on trumpet. Playing in both the Combo and Ensemble, Scott and Juan Carlos didn’t have much down time between arrangements.
After a short intermission, both bands played their second and final sets of the year. The Combo showed their musical skill with a variety of different songs including Sandu, Nice and Easy, and Work Song, complemented by fantastic solos from all members. The Jazz Ensemble then played Brick House, an obvious favorite of the audience, Children of Sanchez, and Take Five.
The evening ended with Mr. Glenn thanking the Ryles staff for the opportunity to play. He also expressed his appreciation to Mr. Patterson for his help both on this night and throughout the year. Lastly, he was grateful to both the parents and especially the students, for both their hard work and commitment to the music program. The jazz ensemble finished out the night with their last rendition of Sticks, an upbeat and energetic song. The crowd loved it and expressed their appreciation for all the performances with a standing ovation. The evening was a huge success.
