Here's a really nice track - this is an improvised Jazz "jam" by the students of the Linus Pauling Early Bird Jazz Band for which I'm honored to direct. They're terrific kids and they get up a little early twice a week to take part in this ensemble. It's a great joy for me to work with these students and I look forward to each and every meeting.
On this particular Friday in December 2005 (just before the holiday break) I asked the kids (whose ages range from 12 to 14) to compose and perform something as a group and I would record it. (Some of the students have done this before - for others it was something new.) Other than provide a bit of guidance in the beginning while getting started, the kids came up with all of this on their own: riffs, melody, stylings, solos - they worked together. It was give and take (what isn't?) - it was a collaboration...all in a matter of a few minutes. Wow!
Play the track - Jam/Blues Tune the Early Bird Jazz Students Composed and Performed
(There were a couple better titles suggested - but at this hour I can't recall what they were!)
Not every member of the band was attendance on the day we record this jam, but it was a good showing and we'll definitely be doing similar stuff throughout the year - meanwhile, we're hunkering down on some of our more structured charts for our concert in January - possibly at CHS (Jan 25?)...who knows, maybe we'll program a jam tune in the mix!?
I hear some really wonderful things beginning to emerge here - so much creativity and promise ...and much, much more to come of course!
Enjoy,
Rob Birdwell
