REHEARSAL SCHEDULE THIS WEEK, May 5, 2008:
Wednesday, May 7th - full rehearsal from 7:25 until 8:05am
Thursday, May 8th - full rehearsal from 7:25 until 8:05am

April 19, 2008

Yes, there is a Spring Concert 4!

On Wednesday evening May 21st, the Red and Blue Jazz Ensembles will take part in our annual Spring Concert 4 program. The concert will highlight jazz and dance at West Rocks MS. The jazz ensembles will be accompanied on a couple of numbers by Mrs. Gray’s dance classes. Mrs. Gray will also showcase some of her own classes during the program. The concert will begin at 7:30pm and be over no later than 8:30pm. Students are asked to arrive between 7:00pm and will be directed where to report before the concert.

If any parent is unable to attend the evening performance, they are reminded that the same program will be presented the day before on Tuesday May 20th for a portion of the school.

On Friday afternoon, May 9th, the Red Jazz ensemble had been asked to perform at The Lifetime Learners Recognition Luncheon. The performance is held in the Pepsico Theater on the East campus of Norwalk Community College at 1pm. Jazz students will leave West Rocks after period 3 and will have lunch at a local fast food establishment. At the conclusion of the concert at NCC, the students will be bused back to West Rocks before the end of the school day.

Both the Red Jazz Ensemble as well as the Eighth Grade Band will be attending the Music in the Parks Competition in Massachusetts on Friday, May 16, 2008. Following the performance at a local high school, members of both the concert band and jazz ensemble will spend the remainder of the day at "Six Flags New England" Amusement Park in Agawam, Massachusetts. A great day is guaranteed for all! (See Events)

6th Grade Orientation, March 19th

Dr. Moore asked me if the Blue Jazz would be available to perform at the 6th Grade Orientation, this Wednesday night, March 19th. I am very interested in having the ensemble perform.

Teaching band in Norwalk, I have very little communication with the feeder students and parents in each of the elementary schools. Last month I was able to take my ensembles into 3 of West Rocks feeder elementary schools, to talk to students about the band program, and to have them start thinking about taking a band instrument. On Wednesday night, many of the students and their parents will be at West Rocks to begin the transition from elementary school to middle school. Dr. Moore has asked the Blue Jazz to perform before the program begins, and to have me speak for just a moment or 2 about the band program.

Blue Jazz students should arrive at West Rocks between 6:15 and 6:30pm. We will perform for only a short time before the beginning of the program (6:45-7:00pm). Parents could remain at West Rocks until after we perform, but at 7:00pm, students would be free to leave. Students need to wear their uniforms; the white-collar shirt, black slacks, dark socks and shoes, and boys need to wear a necktie.

This is a very important performance. It is my only link with the students and parents in the elementary schools. Parents need to let me know ASAP if their child will not be able to make the performance on Wednesday night.

March 4, 2008

Wow! The West Rocks Jazz Ensembles have just finished an exhausting, yet exciting week of concerts in Norwalk.

The jazz ensembles performed at 3 of our feeder elementary schools. On Tuesday, the Blue Jazz performed at Tracey Elementary School. On Wednesday and Thursday morning the Red Jazz had the opportunity to play at Silvermine and Cranbury Elementary Schools. Performing at our feeder elementary schools is very important for my program. I often hear questions such as “What instruments are involved in the band program?”, “If I take a band instrument, will I be able to take another elective at West Rocks, such as guitar, piano, computer, during my sixth grade year?”, “How much does it cost to play a band instrument?” By getting the opportunity to meet with the 5th grade students, we are able to answer a lot of their questions regarding the band program. Anyway, our time at Tracey, Silvermine, and Cranbury were a lot of fun, and very rewarding.

On Friday afternoon the Red Jazz performed at Brien McMahon’s annual Jazz Festival. We performed at 4:00pm in the library. We started off our program with “Firestalker”, a piece which we have been performing for just a few weeks. It is a Latin piece which features Will on drum set and Matt on tenor saxophone. We then performed “Route 66” a blues standard that I will have the honor of conducting during our “In Concert” program with the other middle school jazz ensembles from Fairfield. All of the students are improving on their improvisational skills. This was evident with the solos that Chris (alto), Juan (trumpet), and Andy (tenor) performed during the Brien McMahon Jazz Festival. Next, we played “What A Wonderful World”, a beautiful ballad that was originally made famous by Luis Armstrong, but has been performed by countless other jazz greats. In our version, the solos were played beautifully by Ariana (trumpet), and Will (trombone). We ended the competition by playing a Van Morrison hit “Moondance”. It is a great closer that gives many students a chance to take a solo. I would like to thank Ron Secchi and the band parents at BMHS for inviting us to such a wonderful and well run festival.

On Saturday, we all could relax, enjoy having a few pancakes, and have a great time performing for family and friends at West Rock’s annual Pancake Breakfast. Both the Blue and Red jazz Ensembles did a great job. It was also an important performance for me, because I had the opportunity to meet 3 students from our feeder elementary schools. They told me they were very excited about beginning a band instrument next year.

The Red Jazz continues a very busy schedule next week. They perform at Norwalk High School’s Jazz Concert on Tuesday, the third session with Fairfield on Thursday, and the Norwalk High School Jazz Festival next Friday night. We are looking forward to perform at each of these events, and hope to add one or two pieces to our program.

February 25, 2008:

The members of both the Red and Blue Jazz Ensemble are busy preparing for West Rocks annual Pancake Breakfast this Saturday, March 1st. The breakfast is one of the schools most successful fund raising events and families will crowd the cafeteria from 8:30am until the last pancake is flipped at about 11:00am. It is an important event for me as well, because I will have a chance to meet with 5th grade students from each of our 4 feeder elementary schools who are interested in taking a band instrument.

Besides the Vocal Ensemble, String Ensemble, and both Jazz Ensembles, there will be a dance group led by Ms. Gray ready to entertain. The Blue Jazz Ensemble will be the first jazz ensemble to perform around 8:45am. I don't think we'll have any new performance surprises for parents and friends. We have started 2 new pieces but we're not quite ready to perform them. You'll just have to wait. The Red Jazz performs at 10:00am and we do have a new piece we'd like to share. We're going to perform "Firestalker" anexcellent Latin Rock piece at the breakfast. The piece will introduce some new improvisational soloists from the ensemble.

No matter what we play, it should be an exciting time for all. Hope to see you there on Saturday.

Blue Jazz at Norwalk City Hall

The new Blue Jazz performed for the first time on Friday at Norwalk’s City Hall, and a great time was had by concert listeners and performers alike.

The concert took place in the atrium of City Hall at 11:15am. We began the performance with La Bamba, a Latin arrangement of the terrific tune by Ritchie Valens. Our rhythm section was awesome on this tune, and Kate did a great job on her solo.

We continued with a blues chart called Night Train. The trumpets have a wonderful unison soli during the “stop time” section of the piece, and Blair and Sam performed terrific improvisational solos where the chart opens up.

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, our third piece is a jazz rock standard. I have heard the piece performed at all different tempos, but I prefer the way it was originally intended by “Canonball” Adderly, which is in a slow funky style. Leigh performed a piano solo that I know even “Canonball” would have approved of.

Our final piece was by the godfather of soul, James Brown. A funk piece called I Got You (I Feel Good). Each section of the ensemble had some fun lines to play, but the funk really came out in the rhythm section. Both Sophie on sax and Henry on bass performed their solos beautifully.

I heard such excellent comments about the students that it made me feel proud to be a part of the Blue Jazz experience. (Check out the photos on the website). We now look forward to the Small Group concert on Wednesday January 30th, at West Rocks. If parents cannot attend Wednesday’s concert, they are reminded that an assembly concert will be performed the day before, on Tuesday, January 29th at 8:30am for a portion of the school.

Blue Jazz Update

December 16, 2007:

I'm proud to announce the first 2 concerts of Blue Jazz:

The first takes place on Friday, January 25, 2008. Blue Jazz has been asked to provide entertainment in the atrium at City Hall from 11:15 until 11:45am. After the concert at City Hall, students will be driven to a local fast food establishment to have lunch. (Bring $$$ please)

Parent volunteers are needed to transport students from West Rocks to City Hall, and then out to lunch, before returning to school by 1:10pm. To make the event possible, we need at least 5 parent chaperones. If you are able to drive on Friday, January 25th, please email me back or contact me at WRMS as soon as possible.

The second concert is our annual Small Ensembles Concert on Wednesday, January 30th. The West Rocks String Ensemble and Concert Choir will join members of the Jazz Ensembles. The concert begins at 7:30pm and members of the jazz ensemble should arrive by 6:50pm and report to room 151.

The uniform for both programs will be white collar shirt, black slacks, dark socks and shoes, and boys wear a necktie.

I would just like to update parents on the progress of the new Blue Jazz Ensemble.

Students auditioned for the ensemble the first week in October, and rehearsals began in the middle of October. I gave the students 2 pieces, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, a jazz standard and Night Train a blues piece. On Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, there is a piano solo which I'm having Leigh perform. We have 3 very talented pianists in the Blue Jazz this year, but Leigh was in the ensemble last year and I thought it appropriate that she have the first solo of the school year. The blues piece, Night Train will allow many students the opportunity to create there own solo through improvisation. I can tell Blair will be performing a solo at our first concert, because she is already giving improvisation a try.

At the end of October I gave the students their third piece. I’m sure we’re all familiar with this one, it’s a Latin piece called La Bamba. Latin music always features the rhythm section. Along with the rhythm section, Kate will have a solo on Alto Sax. The students progress was so swift, that I have already given them their 4th piece, a funk piece called I Feel Good by James Brown. Look for a trumpet player and a tenor sax player to have a solo in our first concert.

Speaking of the concert, historically the first concerts has been at City Hall in late January, but stay posted, with their progress, the Blue Jazz might be ready much earlier than that.

-LAST YEAR'S BLUE JAZZ BLOG

April 18, 2007

The Blue Jazz is busy preparing for our Spring Concert. Right before vacation I gave the ensemble their fourth piece, "California Dreamin'", written by John Phillips and made famous by the Mamas and Papas. In the pop version of the song, there is a haunting flute solo. In our jazz arrangement, that flute solo has been substituted almost completely for tenor sax. Andy will perform the tenor sax solo in the Blue Jazz arrangement.

The date of the concert hasn't yet been determined. Spring concerts 1, 2 and 3 already have a number of ensembles participating. I would look for a concert and assembly at the end of May or in early June.

Blue Jazz at Norwalk's City Hall

Exciting! I think that might be the best way to descibe yesterday's concert at City Hall. It was the first performance of the year for the "new" Blue Jazz. The sounds resonated through the building with eager concert watchers on each floor.

I heard such wonderful comments about our kids that it made me feel very proud to be part of the Blue Jazz experience. (Check photos on the Website or listen to Maleguena in the video section) My favorite comment of the day took place at McDonald's after the concert. An older woman, a retired music teacher, told me that I had a bunch of well-behaved, wonderful children. I think that must have been before Webster dropped his entire drink on the floor, but never the less the compliment was nice to hear. I told her that I would pass the kind words onto the children's parents and our principal.

We now look forward to the Small Group Concert on Wednesday, January 31st at West Rocks. The assembly concert which was originally scheduled for Tuesday, January 30th had to be rescheduled. The new date for the assembly concert is Thursday, February 1st at 8:30am.

December 11, 2006:

Blue Jazz prepares for first concert... It won't be long now. Blue Jazz can get through 4 pieces now and begin the job of shaping them before our first concert scheduled for Friday, January 26th, at Norwalk's City Hall. Our plan is to perform at City Hall during the day, to get the bugs out, as it were, before our small group assembly and concert scheduled for January 30th and 31st.

I plan on sending out an email and notice after the holidays to find our if there would be parents willing to chaperone kids to City Hall, out to lunch, and then back to West Rocks. If you would be able to help on Friday, Jauary 26th, notify me at West Rocks ASAP.

October 16, 2006:

I'm looking forward to the first rehearsal of the new Blue Jazz Ensemble on Tuesday, October 17th. Here is some important information:

1) Blue Jazz is a training group that allows students to learn about jazz, and begin to understand a bit about improvisation.

2) The group generally performs 5 concerts per year. The first performance will be in late January.

3) The ensemble meets twice a week, every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 7:25am. Yes, 7:25 in the morning! I know morning rehearsals can be tough, especially after a long night of homework, but it seems to work best with everyone's schedule.

4) Generally there is only one person per part, so nightly practice is necessary. I know that private lessons aren't always a possibility, especially with the rising cost of instruction, however, if you are interested in obtaining name of area teachers, please feel free to call me at West Rocks.

Once again, I am very excited about working with new jazz students. If you have any questions at all, please feel free to call me anytime at 203-899-2970, or send me an email: jbellagamba@snet.net

As always, thank you for your support!