On the night of May 18 at 7 p.m, the Spring Jazz Concert took place in the West Ranch theater. The stage lights dimmed and musicians dressed in black rushed to their places. The Jazz Band was ready to perform.

   To begin the night, the Studio A Jazz Band played their first set which included: “Four” by Miles Davis, “Livin’ Larger Than Life” by Alan Baylock, “Bass In Yo’ Face” by Frank Foster and “Apollo’s Reel” by Tom Molter. These four pieces had upbeat, mellow and swingy tunes, accompanied by wonderful solos. “I liked the last part of Studio A because of the solos and the great execution,” audience member Jacob Han expressed.

   When Studio A finished, a small jazz band that consisted of seven talented musicians, known as the Wildcat Jazz Combo, entered the stage and performed two pieces by Horace Silver: “Señor Blues” and “Sister Sadie.”

   Following the Wildcat Jazz Combo, the Lab Jazz Band took the stage. The pieces they played were: “Star Eyes” by Gene DePaul, “Shiny Stockings” by Frank Foster, “Povo” by Freddie Hubbard, “Emily” by Johnny Mandel and “It’s All Right With Me” by Cole Porter. Natalie Qiao, a Lab Jazz saxophonist adds, “I think we all did well. It is always fun performing for parents and it is even better when the music we play is good.” Qiao also explained, “I enjoyed listening to everyone else who solos because they are always really creative and sound nice.”

   Ending the night, Studio A Jazz Band returned on stage and made a second appearance. Studio A’s final pieces consisted of: “The Groove Merchant” by Jerome Richardson, “Matador” by Fred Stride, “Bass on Top Where Paul Likes It” by Dave Snider and “Hyper-Ballad” by Björk. “Some pieces were intense and upbeat while [others] were soft and swingy which was enjoyable for everyone,” Studio A drummer Joaquin Santos commented. “I’d say the concert went well. As a senior, I was content with our last performance.” 

   At the end of the performance, loud cheers filled the theater while the musicians stood proudly facing the audience. The Studio A Jazz Band, the Wildcat Jazz Combo and the West Ranch Lab played wonderful melodies and showed their clear dedication that night.

   “Seeing [the] kids have fun on stage, watching all the hard work that goes into preparing this concert and seeing them enjoy themselves while making music is always special as a music teacher,” explained West Ranch Jazz Director Mr. Leff.