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LHS Jazz Big Band and Ensemble Concert

Friday, February 29, 2008 - In preparation for the IAJE and UNH Jazz Festivals, the LHS Big Band and Jazz Ensemble held a short concert last Friday, February 29. Big Band started off the night, playing three selections. Steven Feifke, the group’s prized piano player, played a solo in each of the pieces. The group did its part in entertaining the audience—a few people even started dancing during Jeannine, the last number.

Jazz Ensemble took the stage next, starting off their set with Nostalgia in Times Square. Jeff Leonard dedicated it to the Giants fans, who next year will be looking back at this year with longing once the Pats have won the super bowl. They played seven enjoyable pieces, featuring a plethora of talented students. Among the brightest stars were Toby Forman and Evan Marcantonio. Each had multiple solos that were nothing short of amazing.

Jazz Ensemble’s performance also coaxed some dancing, this time out of director Jeff Leonard. He conducts the group with a lot of expression and movement. The entire band is connected and communicative through verbal and nonverbal means. It’s amazing to watch the huge amount of information that is conveyed between and among players and conductor during the performance.

Mr. Leonard was humble as always when he announced Jazz Ensemble’s last number, Rhythmining by Thelonious Monk. Every jazz class, from Beginning Jazz to Combo, focuses on one particular jazz musician each year—learning about their life, playing their compositions, listening to hours of recorded tunes, and emulating their style in solos and composition. Monk’s work proves challenging for this year’s musicians, and Mr. Leonard was glad to play their “under-rehearsed piece in front of such a forgiving and loving audience,” composed primarily of family and close friends. Raviv Markowitz agreed that this concert was very good preparation for the upcoming festivals, UNH and IAJE. “It’s good to be able to play in front of a crowd that doesn’t judge us,” he said.

Despite the excellent performance, every musician was overly modest about the performance, agreeing that there was room to improve. However, through the mood of general (undeserved) self-criticism and humility, Mr. Leonard was still “terribly impressed with the growth of the groups between December and February… Everyone, everyone, has improved” and shown a lot of “musical maturation.” Of the players’ growth curves, Mr. Leonard said that Natty Durant’s has been among the steepest. Durant played an excellent trombone solo in Nostalgia in Times Square. Durant’s, and each player’s success that night just goes to show the result of hard work, dedication, and love for the music.

- Annie Johnston



29 February 2008