Ok, so I used Ichigo's search tool, and got nothing relevant for the search word "jazz." I apologize if there is already a thread for this, but I don't really want to search through 21 pages of music discussion to find a thread about jazz band.

We all know how loved jazz is, right? It actually originated in America, deriving its roots from both African, English, and maybe even other culture's musics. Maybe there aren't as many big band, or jazz choral groups today as there were in the 20th century, but there are still many fans.

I've been playing in a middle school jazz band for 2 years, and have just now started as a freshman playing bass trombone in Jazz 2. ((There are 3 jazz bands due to a large amount of students at my high school.)) Not only is the music insanely awesome for me, but I love trying out new instruments. A bass trombone just looks prettier than a non-trigger tenor, and I love how low it can play. The band I'm in is playing a variety of songs, such as, Beneath an Orange Moon, Cutting Edge, and Big Daddy's Blues. There are a lot more than that, but all of them aren't on the top of my head as of now... :\

So go ahead and talk about how much you love or hate jazz music, if your in a jazz band, argue or contemplate about jazz theory, or post your favorite jazz songs.

Edit: I've just found another thread about Jazz (http://forums.ichigos.com/showthread.php?t=6056&highlight=Jazz+Band), but no one has posted in that for a while.

I played Trombone in my Jazz band last year. We only had one. We played cool stuff.

My Funky Valentine
Watermelon Man
Dinner with Ronald
and most importantly...
Birdland!!!

Weather Report's Birdland or Maynard Ferguson's Birdland?

EDIT: Jazz is pretty cool, and a pretty broad topic. Birdland for example is a Rock song but is played with a more traditional instrumentation of jazz.

I myself like this rock/jazz style of music.

One of your idols, no matter what instrument you play, should be Maynard Ferguson, the best screech trumpet player to have ever been. If you like Birdland, check out Maynard''s version along with Brass Machine, Gospel John, Mac Arthur Park, Trumpet Rhapsody, etc. I also like some big band tunes from Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.

So yeah, I've been playing for a while. It's been a while since I picked up my horn. I should give it a try.

I was the pianist in our school's Jazz I (Fancy name for the Advanced Players of the two groups: Jazz I and Jazz II) and I have to say Jazz has really become acustomed to my playing style. . .as far as improvising and compositional influence goes.

We didn't play too many of the "great" jazz pieces last year, but 'Get up and Go' and a (well, VERY SUCKY) arrangement of Weather Report's 'Birdland' were the best two pieces out of all that we played. There was also this piece called Madrid, but I didn't like it, because I had an 8-measure solo after a 60+ measure bari. sax. solo. XD

I'm looking forward to playing again this year; except 'tryouts' for my are pointless; not to be a pompus brag, but I know (for sure) no know tops me. :shifty:

Ah! Birdland is amazing! I played that in middle school in jazz band, as well as a marching band version in marching band. ((I have no idea what specific versions they were.)) I'm also happy to see another trombone player on Ichigos! :lol:

Pianist for our jazz band. One of the only people that can actually comp. on the spot.

Yeah, our band is bad.

wow i hate it 'cause in my jazz band everyone is amazingly talented and can compose on the spot.....i feel like such a n00b:unsure:

But by surrounding yourself with those kinds of musicians should help you in becoming better. I.e. you can take tips from them and/or be encouraged and try to become as good or better than them.

wow i hate it 'cause in my jazz band everyone is amazingly talented and can compose on the spot.....i feel like such a n00b:unsure:

It's een worse on a trobmone, where you might or might not be hitting a real note... :\ But like Sondagger said, it's good to look for help in those around you, especially if their talented and willing to help.

My jazz band was okay. Now it kinda sucks now that everyone graduated.

*plays trumpet and is pushing to make band director play the original arrangement of Buddy Rich's Channel One Suite*

Technically, my senior yeah was the first year we had a jazz band. Sure we were called a Stage and Jazz Ensamble, but bassically, we played MOTOWN.

As can be heard here...
http://www.wroymitchell.com/Audio/Song%206.mp3
http://www.wroymitchell.com/Audio/Song%207.mp3

What? I'm not the only trombonist here? Murder, you are officially my new best friend on these forums.

I don't know which version of Birdland it was. But I loved it.

I hate being the one having to do the Trombone solo stuff, I make up something random every time...

But by surrounding yourself with those kinds of musicians should help you in becoming better. I.e. you can take tips from them and/or be encouraged and try to become as good or better than them.

i know and i've actually gotten somewhat better at understanding music recently so that makes me happy!!:teeth:

^
See! Yay!


Technically, my senior yeah was the first year we had a jazz band. Sure we were called a Stage and Jazz Ensamble, but bassically, we played MOTOWN.

As can be heard here...
http://www.wroymitchell.com/Audio/Song%206.mp3
http://www.wroymitchell.com/Audio/Song%207.mp3

Nice. @_@

yay i joined the quintet that branches out from the jazz band and i get to play the flute!!!!:teeth:.......can anyone recomend any pieces for cello, violin, and flute?:think:

I am so mad at my band director. He made a middle school jazz band and totally forgot about high school! But I can survive since our percussion ensemble sometimes plays jazz songs. I just love jazz vibraphone which is what I would play if we had a jazz band.

What? I'm not the only trombonist here? Murder, you are officially my new best friend on these forums.

I don't know which version of Birdland it was. But I loved it.

I hate being the one having to do the Trombone solo stuff, I make up something random every time...

I'm pretty much doing the most trombone solos in my band as well, but I love them. :) They're just another excuse for me to play really loud, which is a fun feature on trombones! Right now, I'm just trying to learn all the funky jazz chord symbols that I'm getting so I can melodize (<--SP?) better.

@Keshi. I wish my jazz band had a vibrophone in it. It's also very tempting because there's always one just sitting out in front while we're playing... :\

Yay! We finally got out new Jazz Music for (most likely) the year! We have some pretty good stuff, but we still need two ballads.

I'm happy that there's more pieces with more solos in it; also, some have fun rythms. ^.^

yay!!! i get to play jazz flute in jazz band!!!yay!!!

Yay! We finally got out new Jazz Music for (most likely) the year! We have some pretty good stuff, but we still need two ballads.

I'm happy that there's more pieces with more solos in it; also, some have fun rythms. ^.^

One of those balladesk songs you should play it Chuck Mangione's Feels so Good.

Ahh, jazz... I only do jazz when it's cold outside. The rest of the time is for rockin' out.

That might have a little something to do with the fact that Jazz Band is only second semester and it's cold in these parts from December to April. :heh:

I'm excited. I know our rhythm section at least will pwn - we have myself on piano and apparently two of the best high school jazz guitarists in the state (I have yet to see them strut their stuff). It should be nice.

I don't think that we'd have atleast one musician here who wouldn't say that jazz is not part of his influence/influences. I mean jazz is the base for most of contemporary music today [aside from contemporary classical compositions] but yea jazz is god. @_@

Haha but yea imo Jazz has brought as much contribution to society as classical music has, the artists, the songs. I mean only one name is enough to exhibit jazz entity [. . . drum roll . . . GEROGE GERSHWIN] !!but we have far more than that, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Lena Horne [not as notable as she should have been]. BIllie Holiday, Bessie Smith, etc.

Btw don't judge me that my list is dominated by female vocalists. :think:

Is there anyway to get around the "you have to be in regular band to be in jazz band" rule?

Is there anyway to get around the "you have to be in regular band to be in jazz band" rule?

Yeah... Become close friends with the band instructor(s) at your school, or just convince them that you don't have enough room in your classes for both.

Also, I just had my first high school jazz concert in High School, and it was pretty fun. It was held in the cafeteria instead of the auditorium, which I thought was kind of odd, but it turned out to be really cool. Aside from that, we were recorded by village cameras! :lol: I'll see if my band director made CD's of the concert, and if so, I'll be sure to upload some of the songs onto the site. (After checking with her of course. ;))

Speaking of cafeteria concerts, our jazz ensemble plays "background music" for lunch near the end of the year. It's pretty fun, and a great source of hype for the spring concert.

One of those balladesk songs you should play it Chuck Mangione's Feels so Good.

That's funny that you said that, actually. We're thinking about going into the State's jazz band competition, and that would be the song we would have to play. Our 1st trumpeter, JD, showed it to me. I guess it's a trumpet solo with a piano background all in the beginning of our rendition. =P

I'm pretty much doing the most trombone solos in my band as well, but I love them. :) They're just another excuse for me to play really loud, which is a fun feature on trombones! Right now, I'm just trying to learn all the funky jazz chord symbols that I'm getting so I can melodize (<--SP?) better.

@Keshi. I wish my jazz band had a vibrophone in it. It's also very tempting because there's always one just sitting out in front while we're playing... :\
Hey, I played trombone last year for Jazz Band... too bad I quit this year [moved to a new school], I picked up a new elective: chorus, however the a Jazz Band at this school they're good. It consist of 1 Bari Sax, 1 Piano, 1 Bass & Electric guitar, 1 Drummer,2 Tenors, and 3 Altos, 2 trumpets, and 2 trombones... they're good.

Hey, I played trombone last year for Jazz Band... too bad I quit this year [moved to a new school], I picked up a new elective: chorus, however the a Jazz Band at this school they're good. It consist of 1 Bari Sax, 1 Piano, 1 Bass & Electric guitar, 1 Drummer,2 Tenors, and 3 Altos, 2 trumpets, and 2 trombones... they're good.

Haha, me too! *Hi fives Nelly09*
I also played the trombone last year for my school's music soiree....so funny i kept poking the person in front of me....but i also quit because i had to go to another school. Hmm....that band consist of 2 Tenor and Alto Sax, 4 trumpets, 2 trombones, 2 euphoniums, 1 snare drum, 1 bass drum, 4 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, 1 keyboard and 1guitar....haha we had so much fun.:lol:

I'm not in a specific Jazz band, but we do have several jazz pieces in our reportoire, and they sound bloody awesome (we're a wind band + drums + 1 violin... we're not quite sure what's with the violin, but we accept anyone, lol). I wasn't in the jazz band at highschool because, well, they were scary to me because they were so much better that the concert band XD I've improved a hell of a lot since then though :D I can't remember what was in it, but we had flutes and a bassoon (as well as clarinets, trumpets, trombone bass and guitar) which not many jazz bands seem to have - there would have been more, but that was 4 years ago, and I can't remember, lol.

I think ours goes like this: Three Altos, Two Tenors, Two Bari, Four Trombones, Six Trumpets, 1 Guitar, 1 Bassest, 1 Drummer and your's truly on Piano.

I, literally, haven't played in our jazz band since the beginning of November or something. It's absolutely horrible, since this year's Jazz I is completely horrendious compared to last year. *Wants Seniors back!!*

I like Jazz band season... So here's our lineup so far: "Take the 'A' Train","Don't Get Around Much Anymore", and "Attitude Adjustment". Apparently, our band director went to college with the guy who wrote Attitude Adjustment...