Aragon Jazz Ensemble Looks to a Year of Dedicated Musicianship

The Aragon Band program’s highest level ensemble is the Jazz Ensemble. They are a small group of about twenty talented musicians. The responsibility and commitment is quite demanding, but many students prefer it to the set band material. Senior Patrick Garcialuna says, “The Jazz Ensemble is a place for musicians who really enjoy playing Jazz to do what they enjoy.”

The Jazz Ensemble demands much from its members. Like other bands and ensembles, students diligently practice their music and scales, but the Jazz Ensemble requires musicians to work on their improvisation. During performances, students improvise solos, unlike the set agenda that the other bands play.

While the Wind Ensemble and the Jazz Ensemble are both elite music groups whose musicians are selected through an audition process, they diverge on a number of significant points. Compared to the Wind Ensemble, the Jazz Ensemble consists of a limited range and number of instrumentations. The Jazz Ensemble consists of a saxophone section including altos, tenors and a baritone, a brass section consisting of trumpets and trombones, and a rhythm section of a guitar, bass, percussion and keyboard.

Unlike other bands, the Jazz Ensemble also plays outside of school. Similar to chamber choir, they entertain at various benefits, functions, concerts and competitions.

Sophomore trumpet player Scott Bell says, “The Jazz Ensemble performs more than any other group in the Aragon Music department.”

‘They perform at school performances, musical festivals, house parties, various local restaurants, and any gig they can get,” adds band director Troy Davis.
The band’s most recent performance was on Nov. 1. Although they were not the feature that drew the crowd, they still played very well as accompanying entertainment.

Their next performance will be tomorrow, Nov. 18 at the College of San Mateo Jazz Festival. Davis says, “We will perform in front of a judging panel and receive feedback; it is more of a competition against ourselves than the other schools.”

Despite being a big band, the ensemble does not limit itself to big band charts. Garcialuna says, “We play a variety of jazz styles such as swing, funk, and Latin. Davis adds, “The ensemble plays more of a jazz, rock or dance feel than the strict patterned orchestra music. “

Although they normally play similar types of music at their performances, the lengths of performances vary. “Sometimes we play for an hour and a half, sometimes we only play one or two songs; it definitely varies,” says sophomore Andrew Louden.

New this year is also the Aragon Jazz Band, a group similar to the Jazz Ensemble. The group rehearses during zero periods, which starts at 7 a.m. every day. Freshman trumpet player Manuel Huerta-Alvarado says, “We perform a lot, but not as much as the Jazz Ensemble.”

The Jazz Band was started this year to “create more opportunities for students to play jazz at Aragon”, says. Davis. However, many freshmen were recruited to play in Jazz band due to the numerous openings.

Within the ensemble are also several jazz combos, groups of just a few musicians performing without the rest of the ensemble. These are smaller groups of students that perform separately from the rest of the band. These combos are not part of the curriculum, and are optional for the students. Students participating in combos also receive extra credit in the class. They perform at many different restaurants and parties as well. Mr. Davis said “It gives people a chance to hear the band if the whole band can’t go.”

Though the volume of performances often requires a difficult commitment from students, many students appreciate the opportunity to play. Louden says that “the Jazz Ensemble represents Aragon, and we bring that feeling of pride with us when we perform.”