On Dec. 6, the West Ranch community gathered in the theater for the annual Winter Jazz concert. The musicians hurried to the stage as the lights dimmed and the audience quieted down. Then, jazz director Mr. Leff took the stage, snapping his fingers to start the rhythm, and the jazz band was ready to play.
Lab Jazz:
The opening act introduced the Lab Jazz band, featuring a setlist with Wes Montgomery’s two pieces “The Thumb” and “Fried Pies,” also including Lou Donaldson’s “Midnight Creeper” and finally Henry Mancini’s “The Pink Panther Mambo.” The audience was captivated as the smooth melodies emerged from the students’ instruments and created a lively atmosphere.
Studio A Jazz:
Next, Studio A captured the audience with their exclusive compilation performance, including songs tailor-made for the West Ranch Jazz program. Some highlights from this section were Antonio Carlos Jobin’s “Triste,” Lauren Ellis’ “Rising Tide,” Michael Mull’s “Days of a Lone Prospector” and a jazz arrangement of No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak” composed by Mr. Leff.
Don’t Speak–A Fan Favorite:
A fan favorite of the night had been the 90s classic, “Don’t Speak.” Junior Josephine Adames-Baena praised the performance: “Studio A was so cool while performing ‘Don’t Speak,’ and I personally loved that song.” Adames-Baena also described the experience from the crowd, saying, “I could feel the energy when they played; it was very nice and inspiring, and I could feel the passion from the players.”
Mr. Leff delved into the hardships of composing the song by himself: “It was adapted from another version so it was a really difficult chart [to compose].” While it was undeniably the night’s highlight, the process of learning the song itself proved rigorous. After practicing every day at 7:00 in the morning, the students’ teamwork paid off. “We spent a lot of time in rehearsal working really hard and put in a lot of practice,” Mr. Leff reiterated.
Jazz Band’s tight-knit community shined through as a result of months of hard work, and the students themselves radiated energy and enthusiasm. Sophomore trumpet player Aidin Collins explained, “The energy coming from the band [tonight] was just great. We really had everyone singing,” with junior Abi Barr explaining the perspective as a trumpet player, “In trumpet sectionals, we work really hard together.”
Once the concert concluded, thunderous applause boomed in the theater. The Lab and Studio A Jazz Bands showed a genuine love and passion for the music they played during this showcase.
To conclude, Mr. Leff shared his reflections on what made the concert truly special: “Seeing the students have fun while performing the songs on stage is my favorite part, so it was really cool to be able to play such a favored song even if it was a challenge at the beginning of the process.”
Wildcats, if you are interested in an opportunity to hear our Jazz Band in the future, visit the Westfield Valencia Mall on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 2:30 p.m. to hear Studio A play pop and holiday hits!
