On November 13, PVHS held their annual fall Jazz Night, a night in which the high school’s three jazz bands and the PVJH jazz band are showcased. This year each band brought their own flavor to the night and offered a new and unique experience with each band.
The night opened with the PVJH jazz band, many students’ first experience with playing jazz music. The band’s performance, led by Director Jacob Davis, allowed the students their first taste of a jazz concert and was well-received by the attentive crowd.
As the young musicians exited the stage, Jazz 3, the first high school band of the night, walked on. Led by Brian Gartner and Tara Daurer, it is the largest of the three PVHS jazz bands and has some instruments that make it stand out. Jazz 3 features uncommon instruments to jazz, such as bassoon, mellophone, and clarinet. As Jazz 3 kicked off their portion of the concert, the crowd was introduced to many soloists, as a large portion of the band got to solo throughout their pieces. The pieces were slower and allowed for the soloists to experiment with notes and scales as they crafted a unique take on the music. Jazz 3 closed out their show with a faster, more ensemble-based piece that left many wanting more.
Jazz 2 followed and offered yet another take on jazz music. Lead by Rob Medd, it focused more on the ensemble as a whole, while still sprinkling in solos in each piece. Jazz 2 opened with an energetic tune that got some viewers dancing along in their seats. Closing out their show with another fun tune, Valerie Barrett, a member of the audience, said, “They sounded great and I really enjoyed their songs.”
The night was the wrapped up by Jazz 1, led by Drew Anderson. Jazz 1 offered a more elaborate form of jazz music with many more complex solos. Opening with a tune “for the kids” (per Anderson), and finishing with a fast-paced, energetic song, Jazz 1 closed out a PV’s fun and elaborate Jazz Band night. Kade Coudron, trumpet, comments, “I think it went really well and look forward to Jazz Night in the spring. Thank you to all who came!”
