Hamburg Area High School offers a Jazz Band group in the second half of the year, though it occasionally starts in the fall. This group is run by the band director, like Mrs. Kline in previous years and Mrs. Dowd currently. Students of any grade are able to participate in this Jazz Band group, and they are primarily those involved with BCTC Band or Concert Band. However, Jazz Band also allows students that play the guitar, bass, and piano to be involved.
This group performs at two main events, with the occasional small performance between the two. This band plays at Hamburg’s Speakeasy which usually occurs late February to early March. This year, the Speakeasy happened on March 6. However, with the horrible snow and incliment weather this year, the Jazz Band had to overcome the challenge of minimal reahearsals. Luckily, these jazzy musicians were able to adapt to shorter songs that they could learn on a dime instead of the multiple sheet music they started with. The Speakeasy primarily gets most students, but not all. It happens in the library on the decided day during periods 7 and FLEX at the end of the day.
Two of the students in Jazz Band were willing to share their opinions on the Jazz Band. Mackenzie Hoover, a Senior, said that this is her sixth year in Jazz Band, since they offer a separate Jazz Band in the middle school as well. Since the Speakeasy is only for high school students, Mackenzie was able to perform in the Speakeasy for four years, out of her six total years of Jazz Band. However, one year, Mackenzie dressed as a 1920s character to help set the scene of the Speakeasy. Mackenzie said “I dressed up as Eleanor Roosevelt last year, mainly for AP US History, and during the other three years, I have worn my vintage jumpsuit with the tassels.” Mackenzie says that her favorite Jazz Band song that she has ever performed is Birdland, though her favorite current song is C Jam Blues. Mackenzie shares that her favorite part of Jazz Band is “getting to work with clinicians whether we go somewhere or they come to us,” since the Jazz Band typically learns from professional jazz musicians on how they can become stronger. She also shares that she “would absolutely recommend jazz to other musicians because it helps to build skills you don’t necessarily get in a regular concert band.” The only thing Mackenzie said she would hope the Jazz Band improves upon is “we would be more prepared if everyone shows up for rehearsal and puts the time in individually.”
Jacob Schroeder, a current Sophomore at Hamburg, shared that he loves the song Funny Valentine, as this is their second year doing a variation of it as a Jazz Band. Jacob says he “finds the solos the best part of a Jazz Band” especially since he can do duets with his trumpet friend, Austin Grube. Like Mackenzie, Jacob said the Jazz Band could have been stronger “if they had enough rehearsals that were not cancelled because of the weather,” but he said he was prepared for the Speakeasy when they had it. Thankfully, due to Spring nearing, Jacob says that he “hopes practice will not get cancelled before the concert.” Jacob shares that Birdland is the best song they have performed, and that “anybody reading this should listen to Birdland from a Jazz Band performance.”
Mrs. Dowd, the band’s conductor, has played in Jazz Bands throughout high school and college, along with helping conduct some; though this is her first time teaching Jazz Band for Hamburg’s high school. She shared that her favorite memory from Jazz Band was when she “worked with a wonderful drummer who later won Best Outstanding Young Artist, along with Hamburg’s Got Talent. He is part of Vinyl Rush and made Jazz Band a wonderful experience.” Mrs. Dowd shares how she was a bit nervous about the Speakeasy, since she never experienced it, though she feels much more comfortable for further years. As a conductor, Mrs. Dowd has to do a lot of listening so she can memorize the tempo she is going to be keeping while the students play. She greatly recommends Jazz Band to any students willing to play, especially for those who love Jazz music.
