CHS BLUE TONES AND THE 'ESSENTIALLY ELLINGTON' JAZZ PROGRAM

The CHS Blue Tones Jazz Band is participating in the Essentially Ellington Jazz Band Program at Lincoln Center later this year.

Wynton Marsalis, jazz trumpeter extraordinaire, is behind this fabulous program for high school jazz bands. Recordings are made and sent in and reviewed by Winton Marsalis and his jazz band members. Their comments are sent back to the Blue Tones for a fabulous learning experience.

The Blue Tones will make their recordings in January for the February 1, 2008 due date.

Participating bands receive 6 Ellington charts. The charts are an assortment of various Ellington pieces transcribed as close as possible to the Ellington changing styles between 1931 and 1962. For example, one piece is written for 3 clarinets, 2 trumpet, 2 trombones, piano, bass, drums and banjo. What an exciting sound this piece has for us to learn about. Another piece, the theme song to the TV show Asphalt Jungle and titled Asphalt Jungle, is a great 60’s ‘noir style’ of the black and white detective shows of that era.

An important aspect of this music is the reliance upon solos from clarinet, to piano, second trumpet or bari-sax. The pieces were written to ‘show case’ the members of the Ellington band and the CHS jazz students will have the opportunity to learn about those solos and the music. Each piece has ‘rehearsal notes’ from Wynton Marsalis explaining the nuances of the music: rhythms, interpretation and chord colors.

This is a very exciting program for the Blue Tones to participate in this year. They will also be performing at the December 13 and December 14 CHS Holiday Concerts.

The website at which you can listen (and download) the songs is

http://www.jalc.org/jazzED/ee/f_repertoire.html