Fingers fly and feet tap as the band room erupts in a kaleidoscope of music. With eyes glued to their sheet music, jazz band members manage to bring their music to life with a flashing intensity.
Compared to the music department’s regular band classes, Jazz Band focuses on improvisational techniques with various instruments, including piano and guitar. The program is divided into two groups: the jazz lab band, a smaller combo group, and the jazz ensemble, a big band setup.
“The regular band classes are focused on learning the basics of your instrument, and then these bands, like jazz lab band, you’re coming in with understanding,” Tiernan Hicks, ‘27, said. “You’d already know how to use it, so you can just go from there.”
Hicks has been a member of the jazz lab band for three years and appreciates the welcoming environment that his classmates have cultivated.
“I like the people in it,” Hicks said. “Everyone’s super supportive and nice, and we’re all trying to work towards getting better at helping each other out.”
Ayan Mehta, ‘28, echoed Hicks’ sentiments, expanding on the fun atmosphere that the jazz band has brought to his day.
“[My favorite part] is the community, and it’s fun. It’s one of my favorite classes of the day,” Mehta said.
Mehta has played the guitar since kindergarten and decided to join the jazz lab band as an Effie.
“I’ve been doing it for a while, and it’s a really fun instrument to play,” Mehta said.
In contrast to the jazz lab band’s wide variety of instruments and experimental focus, the jazz ensemble focuses on perfecting jazz styles in a group setting.
“Jazz Ensemble is more of a set, big band setting,” Milo Althoff, ‘27, said. “I know [Jazz] Lab Band is more experimental, so sometimes they have extra instruments that people bring in.”
In Althoff’s first year with the jazz ensemble, he enjoys the swing feeling of jazz music, relishing the opportunity to play big, loud melodies with his trumpet. However, the challenge of needing advanced knowledge of his instrument as a prerequisite for the class persists.
“It’s definitely difficult in [the way] that you need to be able to fully know how to play your instrument before you take on the band because a lot of it is just learning how to play jazz music rather than learning how to play music itself,” Althoff said.
Both the ensemble and lab band are currently preparing for their first concert of the year on Nov. 19. Both groups will perform on the same day, one after the other.
“It’s our first concert, so we’re starting off with simpler songs for the newer people, but as we get further into the new year, we pick up some other stuff,” Hicks said.
In order to succeed during concerts and become high-level performers, Mehta emphasizes the importance of communication between band members.
“We have to work together and learn from each other so that we can get better at improvising and working together and playing together as a group,” Mehta said.