The EHS Jazz Combo and Jazz Ensemble played their spring concert. First, the Jazz Combo played. Their first song was “Blues for Tally”, which lived up to its name with a slow bluesy feel, and featured solos from Carter Slaugh (24), Dartanian Salazar (24), Mick Mccaskill (23), and Clayton Heid (25). Their next song was Mamacita, which was a Latin-themed song in which Mackinze Hays (25) played a solo. The band followed that with the song On a Misty Night. This song included solos from Dustin Abney (24) and Itxel Nunez (22). The Jazz Combo’s final song was Funktion Junktion. They finished with a bang including many soloists like Callie Zacharias (25), Dustin Abney, Cody Greer (25), and Cameron Faust (22).

After a short intermission, the more refined Jazz Ensemble took the stage. Alex Rumley (23) said, “I play alto sax because I really like the range and tone I can play” and Abby Whitaker (22) said that she likes playing percussion because “in Jazz, we’re the ones that are kind of the most important and we control the whole thing.” The musicians kicked it off with The Cool One. Alex Rumley and T.J. Hoffner (22) played solos. The next song was Togo by the Huntones. 

Alex Rumley transcribed the song and arranged it so that the Jazz Ensemble could play it. She said, “I sat on the piano for hours trying to pick out different notes and counting different rhythms.” She disassembled the entire song and arranged it so that each group of instruments.

They then played Honeysuckle Rose with another solo from Alex Rumley and one from Feliz Martinez (22). Finally they finished it off with Bug Juice and a solo from Bryce Smith (22).

Of course, there is always room for improvement. “We’re always trying to get better. We’re listening back and working on balance and blend and solos,” said Logan Doddridge. The band can always sound better and challenge themselves, but Doddridge is proud of the bands. He said, “I was proud of the passing down of knowledge from the strong seniors, and the young freshmen and sophomores really stepped up and filled their shoes and kept up with them.”

The Jazz band will without a doubt wow the audience once again at their next performance on April 25.