By Sophia Byl, Jessica Park
This May 29th at 7pm, people from all walks of life will gather together to harness something truly special: the unifying force of music. And not just any music–we’re talking about Williamsville East’s 16th annual Legends of Jazz concert! Both East and Transit students of jazz will perform a series of infectiously catchy tunes on the East stage, featuring jazz waltzes, big band pieces, and on-the-spot improvisation being some highlights of the mix. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Legends concert without a guest musician, and this year we’re very fortunate to perform alongside jazz trumpeter Marcus Printup.
Marcus Printup first began playing jazz trumpet as a high school senior, before going on to Georgia State University, and later the University of North Florida, to pursue jazz studies. Currently, he plays in the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in New York City, working with renowned musicians such as Wynton Marsalis and Marcus Roberts. We’re eager to have him play some fantastic improv solos during our pieces, as well as hearing about his journey and experience in the field of jazz.
While Legends of Jazz has been a longstanding tradition at East, it’s actually a first for the band and jazz ensemble teacher, Mr. Buckley. “Legends of Jazz has a rich reputation within the educational and musical community of Buffalo,” he remarked, and he is very hyped to actually be a part of it this time. Mr. Buckley also revealed that he’s actually worked with Marcus Printup in the past, and that he’s most excited to see how rehearsals will go when Mr. Printup is here. “We’re going to see a master at work. I’m not a Legend of Jazz, so I’m sure I’ll learn a lot as well,” he explained. Like Marcus Printup, Mr. Buckley is also a trumpet player, so he’s right in that everyone participating will learn something new, whether it’s specific to their instrument, about jazz in general, or even a point of self-discovery. Mr. Buckley will be conducting the song “Downtown Shuffle,” played by the Jazz Orchestra, and looks forward to telling the captivating story of jazz on stage next Wednesday.
Mr. McCluskey, East’s other band director and the conductor for the Friday Morning Jazz group, will lead FM Jazz in two songs at this year’s Legends concert: the jazz waltz “Revelation” and an upbeat tune called “The Jody Grind”. Marcus Printup will join the band for “The Jody Grind” and will improvise a trumpet solo, along with solos on saxophone, flute, guitar, and mallet percussion. Mr. McCluskey will also conduct Jazz Orchestra for two of their pieces–“Ain’t That a Kick in the Head,” a big band type piece most famously performed by Dean Martin, and “The Very Thought of You,” a more laid-back song popularized by Ella Fitzgerald.
Mrs. Ieda, who has been conducting Legends of Jazz for years, is also excited and enjoys the concerts. “Legends of Jazz is a great opportunity for students to play music that is outside the traditional style of the orchestra,” she said, happily promoting the concert. Orchestra students often don’t get to experience different styles of music, as their concerts often feature composers from earlier eras, such as Baroque, Classical, and Romantic periods, with works by composers like Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. While there might be occasional pieces by modern pop composers, the primary focus remains on traditional classical music.
However, Legends of Jazz allows students and parents to experience a unique style of music that they might not have encountered before. “When we do jazz, it helps us do the other side of music–improvisation and playing what you hear, which comes very much more out of you rather than following the rules. You have to be able to play what’s written, but it’s also really important to just play,” she explained. Mrs. Ieda will be conducting the Jazz Orchestra in performing the songs “St. Louis Blues,” a powerful jazz anthem, and the more commonly known “America the Beautiful.”
Lots of exciting plans are in action for this year’s Legends of Jazz performance, so it’ll surely be a concert not to miss. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased by scanning the QR code on any poster you may see at school, or at https://ticketpeak.co/WEHSDRAMA/events. We hope to see you there!
