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| Introducing...the MSHS Jazz Ensemble |
On Wednesday, WAB journalist Katharine Mitchell sat in on a lunch time practice with the MSHS Jazz Ensemble, led by Judith Mann. This is what she observed...
Dizzy Gillespie's 'Manteca' is turned up loud on the stereo. Charlie's already at the piano, tickling in time with Gillespie. More students shuffle in. They drop their backpacks and half-eaten sandwiches and beeline for their music stands. Saxophone cases pop open, mouth pieces are attached. Gillespie's loud. Players shake hair out of their eyes, adjust sheet music, warm up. Dylan, a Kindergarten teacher, is getting sassy on his trumpet. Kwan's on bass. Judith is da-da-da'ing along with the stereo. "Do you hear that? Hear it? Da-da-dada."
The stereo's turned off and Charlie strikes a C. The horns respond. Groans, adjustments, more Cs.
"Where's the cowbell?" Judith asks. "We have a beautiful cowbell!"
From the top, and they're in full swing. Judith counts on top of the music, "Ba, ba, ba-ba...no...you've got to wait another second...that was cool...be chilled out...ba, ba, ba-ba...Where is Stephanie? We need drums?"
Dylan shouts, "Manteca!"
The rhythm's off. "You've got to think of it as a semi-quaver," Judith says. "It's a headspace thing, yeah? Once you get
it you've got it. Let's get it."
Stephanie arrives and Dylan announces, "Ladies and gentleman, welcome Stephanie...on drums."
An alto sax tips back her head and laughs. "I was a whole bar ahead of Charlie!"
"You can't play it like a classical player," Judith says. "You've got to chill out. This is hard. Let's play an easy one before we go just to make ourselves
feel better."
Charlie is bobbing on his bench. Dylan leans into the music.
Kwan's packing up and there goes the trombonist. Someone turns the stereo back on and Gillespie continues, without having missed a beat.
"See you Friday," Judith says. "Don't forget to listen. You've got to listen a million times."
Inspired, I decided to stop by a music practice room to pick out a few chords on guitar. I found a copy of sheet music for a Beatles song and sat their strumming unplugged. I've forgotten how to play a B minor, but I don't care. I'm playing, and I'm happy, and the white poplar fluff outside floats by.