2008 Woodie Awards
Blues, bop swing with jazz band
Music: Group gets good vibes from performance class
By: Eva Allen
Issue date: 4/22/04 Section: The Arts
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Sliding the trombones and pressing the trumpets' valves, musicians are playing nostalgic sounds of blues, bop and Latin jazz in the practice rooms at Marsee Auditorium when the jazz band practices Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Not quite an ordinary class, the jazz band is a group of 20 young men, aged 18 to 25, who are learning to play different styles of jazz under the instruction of Kurt Festinger.
"I hardly knew how to read music at all when I started and it has been an interesting challenge for me," bass guitarist David Hofland said.
One of the coolest things about this class is that students are not graded on what they do, but on how dedicated they are to their music, trombonist Silverio Rojas said.
"This is one of the few classes where everyone in it can improve on what they already have; so if you take it seriously, then Kurt will take you seriously," Rojas said.
Many of the students, Hofland said, are seriously pursuing careers in music; by continuously taking the class, they have a chance to utilize the resources available.
"Some of the students are doing what is called 'applied music,' which will get them associate of arts degrees in music performance," Hofland said.
Although much of the material they play is that of legendary musicians such as Sammy Nestico, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie, Holand said that some of the members try writing their own.
"A few of us work on things outside the class and the horn players compose a few solos, but mostly everything is read from music charts," Hofland said.
Hofland said that he plays a variety of instruments such as Aboriginal flutes, drums and percussion and does a lot of recording at home.
"My projects are mainly for meditation or to create different moods, but they may not be soothing to the western ear because of the different scales," he said. "I kind of do my own thing."
Band member Lemar Guillory, who plays tenor trombone, said he thinks jazz is an art form that has been forgotten, particularly among the younger generation.
Not quite an ordinary class, the jazz band is a group of 20 young men, aged 18 to 25, who are learning to play different styles of jazz under the instruction of Kurt Festinger.
"I hardly knew how to read music at all when I started and it has been an interesting challenge for me," bass guitarist David Hofland said.
One of the coolest things about this class is that students are not graded on what they do, but on how dedicated they are to their music, trombonist Silverio Rojas said.
"This is one of the few classes where everyone in it can improve on what they already have; so if you take it seriously, then Kurt will take you seriously," Rojas said.
Many of the students, Hofland said, are seriously pursuing careers in music; by continuously taking the class, they have a chance to utilize the resources available.
"Some of the students are doing what is called 'applied music,' which will get them associate of arts degrees in music performance," Hofland said.
Although much of the material they play is that of legendary musicians such as Sammy Nestico, Duke Ellington, and Count Basie, Holand said that some of the members try writing their own.
"A few of us work on things outside the class and the horn players compose a few solos, but mostly everything is read from music charts," Hofland said.
Hofland said that he plays a variety of instruments such as Aboriginal flutes, drums and percussion and does a lot of recording at home.
"My projects are mainly for meditation or to create different moods, but they may not be soothing to the western ear because of the different scales," he said. "I kind of do my own thing."
Band member Lemar Guillory, who plays tenor trombone, said he thinks jazz is an art form that has been forgotten, particularly among the younger generation.