The Envision Jazz Festival Comes to Town

Jazz Education shifts into high gear next week as high school jazz programs from throughout the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley meet at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel in Surrey for the Envision Jazz Festival. This festival features High School Jazz Bands at both the Junior (Grades 8-10) and Senior (Grades 11 and 12) level as well as combos. The adjudicators are members of Vancouver’s strong jazz community and this gives students the opportunity to interact with jazz musicians who are living amongst them. I have taken student groups into the community in the past and I am always pleased that parents comment on the new worlds that are being opened to them by their children. The concerts presented here will expose students to the likes of Jennifer Scott and Cory Weeds among others. Also happening at the festival are two Rep. Bands, a Junior and a Senior. The Junior Rep. Band is being led by Tyler Summers. Tyler is a brilliant saxophone player from Aldergrove who paid his dues a the University of North Texas – that great Mecca of jazz that helped foster the great Brad Turner as well. Tyler has many awards and accolades of his own and is happy to lend his musicianship to mentoring these young students. Please check out Tyler’s website at www.tylersummers.com. Personally, two of my students from McMath Secondary are performing in the Junior Rep. Band and the reports I have gotten on rehearsals have been amazing. They are inspired to be around young inspired jazz musicians like themselves. How cool. My band plays on Thursday afternoon. I have chosen some challenging repertoire for them. They are playing “Second Line,” an Essentially Ellington chart from the Jazz at Lincoln Center library as well as two pieces from the Basie/Nestico library, “Samantha,” and “The Heat’s On.” We have been hard at rehearsals adding early mornings for the last few months and now everyday. In the end we will have a great time, have learned a lot about music and the traditions of big band jazz, and made friendships that will last forever. This is the power of jazz. Please drop by my Jazz Education Blog at getjazzed.blogspot.com/ Learn more about the Envision Jazz Festival at: http://www.envisionjazzfestival.sd36.bc.ca/default.htm