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We Got Lucky Last Night
Posted in Music To Live By on Jun 13, 2007 at 5:56 PM
Current Mood: thankful

It happened! Last night! One of those times you remember forever; the times that happen only once every five years or once in a decade.

It was like that for all of us. We all entered the Marjorie Luke Theater of Santa Barbara Junior High School around 6:30 p.m. for a free "Seniors in Recital" concert. When we left a few hours later, we were in awe - some jubilant, some speechless, some still unable to move from their seats in the theater!

We entered into a musical experience with the S.B.H.S. Advanced Jazz Ensemble and were able to witness a transformation of matter with energy into an event where time and space were non-existant. I am speaking of a drum solo. Until then we knew the musician was very good, but about 20 seconds into the solo, the attention of the audience was drawn by magnetism to the sparkling red drumset. In those 5 minutes (or so) the distance or disconnect between the performer and the instrument vanished. The beats ceased to be individualized combinations of sound brought on by force. The Unit became One, capable of a display of a rolling, merging thunder of exquisite rhythm! Something ineffable took hold of the moment and brought everyone in that room to a place to hear and see the Divine combination of talent, practice, planning, natural resources, and 'the flow'! The audience sat transfixed to the stunning vision until the gentle deposit by the Creative Forces of the original parts back onto the stage to the accompanying triumphant sounds of ample talent in the form of the entire jazz ensemble. Each member of the audience seemed to spontaneously rise to their feet as one organic whole, hands reaching for heaven in a fit of applause.

In my decades of live concert experience, I have seen a drum solo like that perhaps less than 3 or 4 times. As people moved from the building after the performance, one could only hear an epiphany trying to find the words to relay the wonder and awe of the minutes prior as if to bring it back The Material to an extent wherein we could step back into the place and time to see it all over again. "Amazing!" "Magnificent!" "That was incredible!" "That drummer?! That's my brother!!"

But I don't want to take away the praise dedicated to the saxophone masters, the guitar icon of the future with a voice to match, the keyboard "song weavers", and every other student in the performance! Those of us in the audience received one of life's greatest gifts, almost spontaneously and without any cost whatsover!

The instrumental music teacher from Santa Barbara High School, Mr. Charles Ortega deserves a great round of applause and a profound "thank you" for a year of endless dedication to those students, grossly underpaid and only seen or appreciated by a fortunate select few of this beautiful city. The parents who call themselves the "Band Boosters" have given a great amount of support in what some consider a parents' duty, but that I know is honestly a pleasure and a privilege!

Thank you for a fantastic night in celebration of the beauty of sound to each astonishing one of the SBHS Advanced Jazz Ensemble (You three seniors! Best Always!), the SBHS Novice Jazz Ensemble (So cool!), Scozzaro, Hanley, & Beck (Oohh, yesss!!) , Michael Woods Experience (Oh, say, can you see, wah, wah....Yes, I can, and it rocks!!!), The Complete Jared Yee (Where to now, master?), and the Rosecow Samurai (Uh...Huh!)!

By and From One V.P.P. (Very Privileged Parent)

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Jazz Festival Today
Posted in Music To Live By on Jun 02, 2007 at 6:11 PM
Current Mood: tired

Santa Barbara High School Jazz Festival -

Today Sat., June 2

Schedule: SBHS Theatre

School/ Ensemble Warm-up Performance Clinic
Mesa Verde MS II 8:00 8:30 9:00
Colina MS II 8:30 9:00 9:30
Santa Barbara JH 9:00 9:30 10:00
La Colina JH (Santa Barbara) 9:30 10:00 10:30
Mesa Verde MS I 10:00 10:30 11:00
Colina MS I 10:30 11:00 11:30
Los Cerritos MS 11:00 11:30 12:00
Redwood MS 11:30 12:00 12:30

LUNCH 12:00 12:30 1:00

Yucca Valley HS (ADV) 12:30 1:00 1:30
Belmont HS (ADV) 1:00 1:30 2:00
Dos Pueblos HS (ADV) 1:30 2:00 2:30
Nordhoff HS (ADV) 2:00 2:30 3:00
Westlake HS I (ADV) 2:30 3:00 3:30
South HS (ADV) 3:00 3:30 4:00

BREAK - JH/MS AWARDS 4:00

SBHS Combo II(EXH) 4:00 4:30 5:00
Downey HS (ADV) 4:30 5:00 5:30
Nordhoff HS (Vocal) 5:00 5:30 6:00
Moorpark I (Heavy) 5:30 6:00 6:30
Downey HS (Vocal) 6:00 6:30 7:00
San Marcos HS (Heavy) 6:30 7:00 7:30
Santa Barbara HS combo I (EXH) 7:00 7:30
Santa Barbara HS (EXH) 7:30 8:00
AWARDS 8:30

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