Jazz Jam

Jazz jam is one of the fun events of the year, and part of the fun is trying to anticipate whether it will be held in the Quad (first choice), or whether we will be driven into Parker Hall by unseasonable rains. The waiting was more tense than normal this year, since for the last several weeks we have had rain more or less every day, mostly in the late afternoon. On this particular Saturday, though, we had a morning shower followed by a clear day. Grade 11 set up the tables and the decorations, the food was in place, the band was well rehearsed - it was all systems go.

This was the first jazz concert for new band director Mr. David Hugg, and the musicians were certainly well practiced. The repertoire included old Woodstock jazz standards such as Glenn Miller's "String of Pearls", as well as some more mainstream pieces such as the soul classic "Stand By Me" and even the themes from James Bond and the Pink Panther. "Basin Street Blues" received another airing, and music administrator Ms. Laura Atkinson sang three jazz ballads, accompanied by Mr. Zingrin Shishak on piano - Gershwin's "They can't take that away from me"; "The girl from Ipanema", and Billie Holiday's "Lover man". Nora Weber played a solo guitar piece, and a variety of small groups showed their paces. The finale was a rousing extended rendition of Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago", featuring Mr. John Montgomery on piano and Mr. Pete Wildman on guitar. The final farewell was a loud and raucous version of the Jimi Hendrix classic "Red House", with Mr. Wildman's guitar sending everyone home suitably deafened.

As a departure from tradition, the songs were not just introduced, but a wide variety of poems were read by staff and students - some written by students (Clara Swanson, Thinlay Llamo, Thomas Jeffery, Amit Shakya and others), some by established poets - Maya Angelou, e.e. cummings, Jack Kerouac, William Carlos Williams.

Thanks are due to all those who helped make this event such a success - the readers and announcers, the AV crew, the grade 11 waiters and the kitchen staff. Most of all, thanks to the student musicians who gave us a really good show.