An
estimated 500, in addition to the 80 students in the jazz bands, attended
Sweet! Hot! Jazz!. The event raised enough funds to cover scholarships for
graduating students who will continue to play in college bands. Gail’s
Harley-Davidson was the major sponsor with other prize and food donations from
throughout the district. While the district has had a jazz program with an
annual district concert of all four jazz bands for 30 years, this was the fifth
year for the Sweet! Hot! Jazz! celebration of the jazz program and fundraising
event.
Two
very special acknowledgements: –current Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum
and Instruction and incoming district Superintendent Kenny Rodrequez played
drum set on Jazz Orchestra’s Sing, Sing, Sing, and with his retirement this
year, this was GC-4 Band Director Danny Watring’s last Grandview jazz
concert.
Check out the Grandview Jazz Highlights and competition results so
far this year (2016):
Northwest Missouri State University - Feb. 26
Jazz Orchestra - First Place, Division 4A Mark Herrera - Outstanding
Soloist (alto saxophone), Division 4A Aaron Spencer (drums), Josh Keleher (bass
guitar), Anthony Nwaneri (flugelhorn), Geran Turner (soprano and alto sax),
Oscar Rosales (piano) - Outstanding Musicianship awards,
Division 4A Jazz Ensemble - First Place, Second Band Division Andrew Kearse -
Outstanding Soloist (bari saxophone), Second Band Division Natalie Reese (tenor
sax), entire saxophone section (Thomas Guzan, Jennifer Guardado, Pyper Moore,
Stormy Smith) - Outstanding Musicianship awards, Second Band Division
Grandview Middle School - Second in Middle School Division, 1 Rating Anna Mott -
Outstanding Soloist award
Martin Middle School - Fourth in Middle School Division, 1 Rating Jason Keleher
(drums/piano), Isaiah Gordon (bari sax) - Outstanding Musicianship awards
University of Central Missouri Jazz Festival - Feb. 20
Jazz Orchestra - 1 Rating Aaron Spencer (drums), Geran Turner (alto
saxophone), Mark Herrera (alto saxophone), Josh Keleher (bass) - Outstanding
Soloist awards
Jazz Ensemble - 2 Rating
Grandview Middle - 1 Rating Anna Mott (trumpet) - Soloist award
Martin City Middle - 2 Rating Josh Norgren (bass), saxophone section -
Outstanding Musicianship awards
University of Missouri/Rockbridge Jazz Festival - Feb. 13
Jazz Orchestra - Unanimous 1 Ratings from all three judges and in sight
reading, top score of all bands - Command Performance Band for evening concert
with University of Missouri Jazz Band
Jazz Ensemble, Grandview Middle, Martin City Middle - 2
Ratings
KC Metro #3 All-District Jazz Band members
Jake
Blackburn - trombone, senior; Geran Turner - alto sax, senior; alternate -
Aaron Spencer - drum set, senior