Santa Clara Swing

NEWS

The 2nd Annual Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival was held on February 10 at Sacramento State University . This festival is co-hosted by the University's Jazz Studies program and the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society in cooperation with the Traditional Jazz Educators Network.

The festival is international in scope and the bands come from middle schools, high schools, colleges, and jazz clubs. Bands may choose whether to enter the competitive division or to play for the learning experience and feedback from the clinicians. Competitive scoring is based on criteria set forth by the International Association for Jazz Education, wherein improvisation is weighted most heavily at 25%.

Santa Clara Swing , an after-school activity at Santa Clara High School , entered two bands, the Gold unit and the Blue unit. In competition, the Blue unit tied with another high school band with identical II ratings and went on to win first prize based on actual points. Instruments used in this band were banjo, piano, tenor sax, soprano sax, trombone, trumpet, tuba, and washboard. Several musicians in both units were cited for outstanding performance and some received scholarships.

The Blue unit performed in the evening Showcase Concert along with other winning bands and the Guest Artists and Clinicians. One requirement was to include a completely new song in the program to showcase improvisation.

Santa Clara Swing has received support from the South Bay Traditional Jazz Society, including web site publicity, tutoring by Ray Buhler and Rich Owens, and overall guidance by Bob Hamilton. Other coaching has been provided by Steve Tyler of De Anza College and Bob Storms, formerly of the 10 th Avenue Jazz Band.

Santa Clara Swing  will play a 45-minute set at the 2006 San Jose Jazz Festival. It will be at 4 PM on Saturday, August 19 at the Tech Museum. This is an air conditioned venue with seating for about 300. It is located at 201 S. Market St., one block north of the Convention Center stop on the Light Rail.

The band is divided into two combos to play early New Orleans jazz. Most of the members of this band were invited to play 4 days in the New Orleans French Quarter and on river excursion Boats. The theme of the San Jose Jazz Festival 2006 is New Orleans so playing in a New Orleans style is very fitting

The tenative program for this set is:

BLUE UNIT

•  Livery Stable Blues

•  When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

•  Blizzard Head Blues

•  Wabash Blues

•  Louella

•  Muskrat Ramble

GOLD UNIT

•  Basin Street Blues

•  My Gal Sal

•  Sugar Foot Stomp

•  Tin Roof Blues

•  New Orleans Masquerade

•  Just A Closer Walk With Thee

OVERVIEW

Santa Clara Swing is a self-directed after-school jazz band activity at Santa Clara High School. It was formed in March of 2005 as a natural outgrowth of the highly successful Straw Hat Jazz Band activity at Buchser Middle School, a feeder school, also in Santa Clara. (Current Schedule)

The Faculty Advisor to the band is Drew Erickson, Music Director at the school. Ray Buhler, the organizer and leader of the South Bay Stompers coaches the band on early jazz. Steve Tyler, music faculty member at De Anza College is the coach for early swing. Rowena Reyes is the "band mother" and Bob Hamilton acts as a facilitator. Ricky Hall, a Senior, is the Music Director for the band.

The basic band consists of 15 -17 members as required to fit the standard instrumentation for big band swing. If the stage is small, the band can reduce to 10 pieces to play swing. Many audiences want to hear traditional jazz as well. For this part of the repertoire the band reduces to eight pieces, in two units, Blue and Gold, the colors of the school.

BAND PERSONEL

CD For Sale

The group has made a CD for sale. The kids hope these sales do a lot toward funding their trip to Sacramento.

This CD can be purchased by sending an email to: JoJazzQueen@aol.com  for price and instructions.

The band has selected an even mix of early jazz and early swing for its first CD, as follows:

• Livery Stable Blues (4:37) Lopez/Nunez (Blue Unit) (144 KB)

• My Gal Sal (2:52) R.Nichols (Gold Unit)

• Coney Island Washboard {2:11) Dumond/Adams (Blue Unit)

• Basin Street Blues (4:04) S. Wlliams (Gold Unit) (131 KB)

• Muskrat Ramble (2:03) KidOry

• Tin Roof Blues (2:15) Nork

• When My Sugar Walks Down The Street (3:38) Gene Austin

• Sugar Foot Stomp (3:04) J.Oliver .

• Charleston (l :33) Cecil Mack/Jimmy Johnson (10 Piece Unit)

• Caravan (2:50) D. Ellington (15 Piece Unit)

• Moonglow (3:41) Hudson/DeLange (112 KB)

• The Queen Bee (3:24) Nestico

• Ja-Da (3:18) Carleton

• In The Mood (3:07) J. Garland

• Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy (2:40) Raye/Prince (215 KB)

• Satin Doll (3:32) D. Ellington

This CD was recorded for the most part on November 20, 2005. Bob Hamilton was the Sound Engineer and Roddy Magallanes was the Recording/Production Engineer.

This CD can be purchased by sending an email to: JoJazzQueen@aol.com   for price and instructions.