Thanksgiving Week

Hey everybody - a reminder that there will be no rehearsal during the week of Thanksgiving, so please have a great break.  Remember to bring your instruments and music home so that you can practice the sections we spoke about this week in sectionals.  Use the www.ethsjazzband.webs.com page to hear reference recordings as well as my Noteflight account for creating solos.  Have a great week - and remember only 3 weeks of rehearsals before our winter jazz concert......

I also want to remind everyone that the U of I jazz faculty will be with us on Monday November 19 from 2:45 - 5:30.  They will give a small performance in our band room followed by a series of small group masterclasses and clinic sessions with the first round of ETHS jazz combos.  All music students are invited to be there!

Updates for 10/15 - 10/19

Downbeat Magazine

          A reminder that Downbeat Magazine, a jazz periodical, supplies many free copies of their monthly magazine to our school each month.  These magazines are available for students to take outside of the jazz room door.  Feel free to help yourself!

Jazz Band Fee

          A reminder that the $20 fee for participating in our jazz program is due next week.  Please bring your money to our next rehearsal on Tuesday.  This fee covers your participation in our program as well as your ticket to the ETHS Jazz Festival concert in February.

Improvisation Accompaniments

Improvisation Accompaniments:
      Throughout the season, rehearsal accompaniments will be uploaded to this blog to aid students in preparation for rehearsal and performance.  Since everybody learns differently, I will be uploading several tools to practice with.

For Transcription & Play-Along:
     To sketch some ideas "on paper" with musical accompaniment, visit my Noteflight account online (information below).  You can view the score in concert pitch or transposed pitch by toggling the check box in the bottom right of each score.  You can add your own staff above the rhythm section by going to "Staff - Add Staff" or by moving your mouse in the top left of the highest staff until you see a "+" sign and click on it.  There are many dialogue boxes and tool palettes to help you add your own solo.  You can also change the tempo of the play-along track in the bottom left of the screen.

www.noteflight.com

Email: bufism@eths.k12.il.us

Password: wildkits

For Play Along At Performance Tempo:

     The program "Band - In - A - Box" is loaded on all of the MAC computers in the music wing.  It allows you to enter the chord changes and create your own play-along tracks at whatever you decide.  You can then export it as an MP3 and take it with you wherever you go to practice with.  Once it is an MP3, however, the tempo cannot be altered.  I will add some Band-In-The-Box rehearsal tracks to this site shortly.

     The "Real Book" application (iReal) for smart phones and tablets is a great utility at low cost for practicing improvisation on the go.  It will have any jazz standard already loaded within the program with freedom to change the tempo or the key with ease.  If it does not contain the chart you are looking for, you can simply add the chord changes and create/save your own accompaniment.

Jazz Band (II) Rehearsal & Performance Calendar

Jazz Band (II) Rehearsal & Performance Calendar:

• Tuesday October 16, 2012      -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday October 23, 2012      -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday October 30, 2012      -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday November 06, 2012  -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday November 13, 2012  -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday November 27, 2012  -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday December 04, 2012   -      Rehearsal     4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday December 11, 2012   -      Rehearsal     4:00 - 6:00 

Tuesday December 18, 2012 - Performance in the Beardsley Student Center

• Tuesday January 8, 2013         -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday January 15, 2013       -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Note: More Rehearsals Will Be Added TBA In Preparation For Festival Season!!!!

Saturday January 19, 2013 - Performance at Purdue University Jazz Festival

• Tuesday January 22, 2013       -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Note: More Rehearsals Will Be Added TBA In Preparation For Festival Season!!!!

Saturday February 2, 2013 - Performance at New Trier Jazz Festival

• Tuesday February 5, 2013       -      Rehearsal      4:00 - 6:00
• Note: More Rehearsals Will Be Added TBA In Preparation For Festival Season!!!!

Saturday February 9, 2013 - Performance at ETHS Jazz Festival

• Tuesday February 12, 2013 - Rehearsal 4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday February 19, 2013 - Rehearsal 4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday February 26, 2013 - Rehearsal 4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday March 5, 2013 - Rehearsal 4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday March 12, 2013 - Rehearsal 4:00 - 6:00
• Tuesday March 14, 2013 - Dress Rehearsal

Friday March 15, 2013 - Performance at SPACE

Saturday March 16, 2013 - Performance at SPACE

Sunday Mach 17, 2013 - Performance at SPACE

 

We had an excellent kick-off event last night!  Our professional guest combo was joined by ETHS Jazz students Jordan Baker and Frank Kurtz on drums, Quinn Sengupta on piano, Sam Miller on tenor sax, and Raef Sengupta on alto sax.  Visit the webpage at www.ethsbands.com for the complete jazz rosters and schedules for the 2012-2013 jazz season. 

Guest Combo:

     Brian Gephart - Tenor Sax

     Kelly Sill - Bass

     Tom Garling - Trombone

     Karl Montzka - Piano

     Eric Montzka - Drums

Opening Night - ETHS Jazz

Tonight marks the opening of our 2012 Jazz season at Evanston Township High School!  The event will feature our very own faculty member Mr. Brian Gephart and his fellow combo members.  The performance will begin at 6:30pm in the ETHS auditorium followed by an informational meeting.