Recap of Last Week and Practice Tomorrow Night!

I have heard from many people that Monday night's practice was a success and that a lot of work got done on Malaga and Straight, No Chaser. I want to take a moment here to commend those members of the band who stepped up and ran practice in my absence, though it goes to show just how talented and how experienced many of our members are. What a wonderful group!

This upcoming practice I am hoping to see more work on Malaga which is now shaping up and I have listened to some of the files on the video page of this group to see what progress was made. I also hope to have copied Moanin' for you all so we can start work on that.

We are moving into a long May of performances and if there are questions about parts in any number we've ever played, please get in touch with me at practice tomorrow night and I will be taking requests to make sure that you have all the music you need to perform well this spring.

By the end of May, we will have performed this year as many times as we performed all of last year. The schedule is getting white hot, so make sure you're getting all the communications and I promise you - they will be send to you more efficiently in the next few months so that you have all the information you require.

I hope all of you are checking out the board discussion on Facebook on the Bylaws and if you are not - I really hope you do so. No comment is silly, everyone's opinion matters, and this is the time to speak up if you are at all interested in the administration of this organization.

Thank you, and see you all tomorrow night! :)

Great Practice and Next Practice

Hey everyone! Great job last Monday night - the open practice was a huge success. However, bear in mind that we have another performance coming up on March 13th - the Talent Show at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. We have a half hour to play at the end of the event, and plan on performing some of the set we've done before...

Intersecting Lines
Nostalgia in Times Square
Theme from Sesame Street
Begin the Beguine

...though not in that order. Also, make sure that you take a look at Straight, No Chaser; we're going to be focusing on the new pieces more, especially after the 13th through the end of April. We have four pieces to learn (some of which we've worked on, some we haven't) to supplement the music we already have. Looking forward to a productive spring!

Upcoming Practice: Monday, 14 February 2011

Just a note for practice on Monday - take a good look at Malaga, but expect to see some new music including "Straight, No Chaser," "Moanin'" and "My Funny Valentine."

For, like Valentine's Day, get it? Isn't that funny ;)

Abington Junior High School Jazz Festival

Hello all! I have the details here for the Abington Junior High School Festival, and if I get any more I will update this exact same post so you only need to refer to one for information.

The call time at Abington Junior High School is 8:30 PM in the gymnasium for warm-ups and tuning. The address of the school is:

2056 Susquehanna Rd.
Abington, PA 19001

We will be playing some time around 9:15 PM, as the exhibition band while the judges are tallying their scores and after awards have been handed out. The pieces we will be playing include: Malaguena, Nostalgia in Times Square, The Incredibles, Intersecting Lines and Theme from Sesame Street. The encore number, if needed, is Samba Ti Kaye.

Keep your eye on this post for more information, but directions are straightforward with any use of MapQuest, Google Maps or your GPS. Looking forward to this Friday's upcoming performance, and see you all there!

Performance Info: Abington Junior High School Jazz Festival

Hey everybody! We have a new performance coming up (based on everyone's availability) which will be at Abington Junior High School on Friday, February 11th at around 9:15 pm, and the call time will be 8:30 pm. More details to come on this performance, but be prepared to play the following:

Malaguena
Nostalgia

::judges give out awards::
we close with...

The Incredibles
Intersecting Lines
Theme from Sesame Street
ENCORE: Samba Ti Kaye

Expect to practice the latter four charts since we have been working Nostalgia and Malaguena so well in recent weeks. Plus there is the possibility that we will have a second practice next week on the 9th which is completely voluntary (due to work schedules, etc.) but would be useful to anyone who wanted to attend and work on those charts some more.

Performance: 4 February 2011, 7 PM, C B West

Hello everybody! Briefly, here's the info:

The call time at C B West is 6:15 in the choir room for warmups. Be ready to set up on stage as early as 6:45.

And once we're done the performance, stay and support the kids playing jazz all night long. It's going to be an awesome night, dress is as usual, and refer to your Facebook group messages and e-mail for more details.

Change 4 Charts Voting, Winter 2011

Here are the selections for voting on charts for the Winter of 2011. Since there have been so many brass heavy (and Latin) charts that the band's been playing, there is an interest in balancing the books with some bandleaders and jazz arrangers that we haven't yet played. Please vote twice (you will see that there are two polls), as this allows you to make two selections from the following list.

Moanin' by Charles Mingus, arr. Sy Johnson
http://www.marinamusic.com/detail.tpl?sku=M1007&show=res&cart=129564657491935&keyword=Moanin&where=title&where1=comparr&where2=desc1&andor=wo&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVCMCOoXXPU

Anthropology by Charlie Parker, arr. Mark Taylor
http://www.marinamusic.com/detail.tpl?sku=D7167&show=res&cart=1295647377115447&keyword=anthropology&where=title&where1=comparr&where2=desc1&andor=wo&

Straight, No Chaser for Buddy Rich, arr. John LaBarbera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rm-A6bGhiE

Ko Ko by Duke Ellington
http://www.marinamusic.com/detail.tpl?sku=C9048&show=res&cart=1295647597122263&keyword=ko%20ko&where=title&where1=comparr&where2=desc1&andor=wo&

Two other charts that are under consideration to purchase are from a publisher of out of print and discontinued music, including Buddy Rich's West Side Story and Stan Kenton's Send in the Clowns (which has been on the band CDs in the past). When we have cost information on these discontinued items, we will inform the band at that time. Here are the links for those pieces, even though they will not appear on the vote at the current time.

Send in the Clowns, arr. Dave Barduhn for the Stan Kenton '76 Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veKsxNFatYo

West Side Story, arr. Bill Reddie for Buddy Rich
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=midRI_70A70

Rehearsal Tonight, and Long Time No Update

Hey everybody! Sorry that it has been such a long while since the blog has been updated. Well, there is rehearsal tonight, and we will be working on:

The Blue Book
Sing, Sing, Sing, Sing, Sing, Sing (if you get my drift)
Theme from Sesame Street
Nostalgia in Times Square
Rhythm of Our World

Really concentrate on the older numbers on the Blue Book and pay careful attention to articulations and dyanmics. They're very important in these pieces (as they are in all music), but it's apparent when they're not being followed. Let's give these older charts the respect they deserve. See you tonight!

Performance Info: 12 September 2010

Hello everyone! This is just a quick reminder about the performance at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Call time is 10:15 AM (keep it quiet, as a service is still going on) and show time is 11:00 AM. Be ready for a long haul - we're playing a lot of pieces, and though the chop-busters are spaced out, chops are going to get beat up pretty nicely.

See you all in the morning, please bring stands if you know at practice you've gone without them before, and keep your focus on the quality of the music. Be ready for the crazy acoustics ;)

Practice Recaps, Updates, OH MY!!!

Okay, so this blog hasn't been updated in a while. But it's time to focus on the fall, and so that's what is being communicated here.

The focus of our practices have obviously shifted to two major, advanced pieces. As usual, "The First Circle" and more recently, "Rhythm Of Our World."

"Theme from Sesame Street" will sound great on the 12th as will "Incredibles," etc., and we can't forget about "Nostalgia in Times Square" which has taken a seat on a back-burner, but will be coming back. Be ready to work these charts.

The group will be playing for the church at 11 AM on Sunday the 12th, so mark your calendars, and call time is 10:15 downstairs in the choir room for quiet tuning and warming up.

See you all at Monday night's practice, where we will continue with "The First Circle" and "Rhythm Of Our World" and let's see where everyone stands with practicing on the evening of Labor Day as it is the last practice before a gig.

Back on track...