Review of Falmouth Jazz Night

On the blustery night of February 5th, I parked my car in the very back of an unusually crowded Falmouth High parking lot, anticipating a vibey experience at FHS Jazz Night. It was my fault for arriving two minutes before the scheduled 6:30 opening, but still, I wasn’t expecting a windy trek to the entrance. When I stepped into the auditorium, warmth emanated from the buzzing crowd, the bottom floor so packed I took my seat upstairs. After opening remarks, the concert began.

The opening 6th grade band was an eager group, starting out strong with Breezin’, a nostalgic, sweet piece by Michael Sweeney. The trumpets took a confident lead, with trills from the saxes. The second and third songs were riddled with solos; 17 in fact. I was impressed by the ambition of the young musicians, almost all of whom took a shot, making some bold, if a little dissonant, choices.

Next was 7th grade, a group that blew me away with strong, clear blows and energy. The first piece set up the audience for an impressive performance, with a rousing drum solo. The 2nd song, however, Georgia On My Mind by Paul Clark, was the real gem. The band emitted a dreamy, harmonious 50s sound that had me enthralled with a balanced, blended melody and expressive, complex solos. Although there was an understandable struggle to hit some high notes, the group was overall a very strong unit, staying together in rhythm and tune.

The 8th grade band had a weak start, with some dissonance and a frazzled drummer trying to keep up with the rushed wind instruments. However, the mystery of the dissonance was solved before the second song, with a pause to tune a stubborn saxophone. When it became clear the instrument was broken, an excited shuffle of young voices broke out among the middle school band audience as director Mr. Barry skimmed the previous players, looking for one of their instruments to use as a spare. A “Yeah Jack!” followed by rowdy applause could be heard when an instrument was finally selected and handed to the sax-less performer. The group finished strong with a song called Caribbean Dance by Russ Michaels, pegged the band favorite. The preference could be heard in the colorful, salsa-adjacent frenzy led by the trumpets, with a vigor and a riveting drum solo.

Finally, it came time for the middle schoolers to clear out, replaced by a gaggle of elegant high schoolers dressed in black, microphones in hand. There was a brief recess as the Jazz Singers set up their mics and the speakers, with Ana K. at the piano, Grace G. at the drums, Griffin H. on the bass and Cannon C. on the guitar. The group gathered in a reticent semi-circle, and senior Penny J. stepped out to introduce the singers and the first song, a 1977 popular single by the Bee Gees, How Deep is Your Love. Cannon C’s smooth, easy solo was a strong start to the romantic ballad. As a whole, the song was a bit of a miss. The singers were unable to hit the highest notes, and the blending was lacking. In addition, the singers seemed not to fully know their parts, coming in after solo measures sans confidence. Some highlights were strong guitar solos, a consistent, easy going drum beat, and a silvery compliment of high harmonies to the sweet melody. Soloist Harper M. delivered a formidable vocal performance, leading the group well after an initial punch amid a subsidence of background voices.

The next song, however, was a lovely success of a performance, a rendition of the 1942 hit I’m Old Fashioned. The harmonies hit comfortably, in a perfect balanced blend, as if the group had performed this number at a jazz bar for weeks before. I noticed that this song played with a good use of dynamics, with the right subsidence and swelling adding to the song, giving it an interest and complexity that I had not gotten from the previous song. Addi M’s solo made a masterful use of dynamics, her voice weaving between vehement highs and seraphic lows. In the same vein, Aodhán S’s scatting was practiced and complex, an organized chaos that added immensely to the piece. Although Mickey J’s melodica solo was an interesting touch, the group’s failure to come in together as a unit on time afterward took away from the piece. However, the choir as a whole managed to switch back and forth between alternating tempos successfully, with Ana’s leading piano setting up a good base tempo for both the singers and the drums. Another highlight was Griffin’s bass performance, a much needed grounding force for the singers. In general, the song let off a pristine, almost glass-like quality, the blend of voices equivalent to a clean, shimmering surface.

As a group, the Jazz Singers were mostly technically successful, if a bit stiff. A jazz group sets an expectation of vocalists who groove to the music, enjoying themselves. The stand out singers who embodied this prototype were Penny, Addi, Aodhán, and Fiona A. However, overall I enjoyed the Jazz Singers’ performance.

The following act was Small Group, a five member band consisting of Bari Sax Cooper M., Clarinet Reef B., Bass Dylan S., Guitar and Vocalist Jon K., and Drummer Conner G. The first song, although riddled with rich solos by Jon on the guitar and Dylan on the bass, was overshadowed by a clean, technically immaculate clarinet performance by Reef. I was impressed by his confident bars and the presence he had on stage. The second piece, a rendition of Bobby Troup’s Jazz-famous song Route 66 was kicked off by an effervescent drum intro and the plucking of a now classical bass by Dylan S. The introduction set up the song well, but Jon’s vocals elevated the entire experience. Route 66, an apparent group favorite, boasted stunning engagement and coordination. Their last song was Duke Ellington’s Caravan, a foot tapping, solo-heavy number. I especially enjoyed the Spanish twinged guitar solo and the tempo change, impressive for freshman drummer Connor G! Overall, Small Group was committed to the craft, but, like the singers, unwilling to overcome their rigidity. The band could have stood to let loose a little, but played impressively nonetheless.

As the Falmouth High School Jazz Band set up, there was a shuffle of excited parents, awaiting their high schoolers in the biggest band yet. In the opening arrangement, 500 Miles High by Chick Corea, the band started out timidly as the nervous players failed to come in on time. However, as the song advanced, confidence grew. It became clear that drummer Nate H. was playing a carrying role in the progression and movement of the song, controlling the mood as well as tempo changes. Among some solos that missed the mark, a few highlights were Jake S’s clear, high trumpet trill and a playful exchange between Nate’s drumming and Griffin H’s casual, make-it-look-easy riffs on the bass. A positive addition was the backing vibrophone, elevating the piece with a warm, pleasant sound.

The second song, Terry White’s Oblivion had a spooky quality, unfamiliar in contrast to Falmouth’s usual upbeat theme. The opening high trumpet trill set up for Elias H’s yearning Alto Sax, a feature in the piece. Dripping with regret and agony, his sound prevailed and drew the audience in. I have to say, this arrangement was a high point of the entire night, with solid harmonies that each stood out, wailing in their own personal qualms. Oblivion was successful with a consistent, grounding performance from piano, bass, guitar and drums as well as an expressive vibrophone. This review would be amiss if not to highlight Caden J’s stunning trombone solo. However, Elias carried the piece.

The opening of the third and final tune was a fun twist, starting with a strong drum solo and adding elements periodically throughout the intro. Late in the Quarter was a colorful and quirky melody, interjected by a bluesy piano riff by Mickey J. every now and then. During the solos, the idle musicians kept the excitement of the piece by clapping in beat. This element added life and enthusiasm to the performance. On the vibes was Ana K, with a groovy solo that brought to mind the embodiment of silver; smooth, catlike, and elegant. The piece ended just the way it started, stripping down music sections one by one until reduced to just the drums. The FHS Jazz band had, in my opinion, the lowest lows but the highest highs of the high school portion of the concert.

And that was Falmouth Jazz Night! As a tradition at the schools, the concert was a lovely (and groovy) way to bring the community together, celebrating both middle and high school. Jazz is a staple of band culture, and an important way to teach kids about music, and to encourage experimentation, challenge, and creativity to their music education. February 5th reflected all of those values as I saw kids from 6th to 12th grade who displayed pure ambition and love for music. Not only did the young musicians get to show their parents how much they had learned, but the night also gave them the valuable opportunity to have fun onstage, something every supporting relative and friend, or even just community member, wants to see from students who have invested so much into their performance.