By Agastya Shahane,
The Prowler, Arts Editor
The Bridgewater-Raritan High School Band Program held its annual Jazz Showcase on February 7.
For the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Monday Jazz Band, this was its first performance and officially the beginning of their jazz season.
Before the event, students got right to work, preparing the school for the twelve bands that would arrive in the evening. Along with them, the Monday Band would perform last. The Earl Phillips Big Band would perform after all high school jazz bands were finished.
Earl Phillips, a teacher at Cherokee High School in Burlington County, was invited as a judge and performer for this event. He has his own revered jazz band, the Earl Phillips Big Band, for which he has conducted, written music, and performed since he created it in 2007.
Earl Phillips gave the Monday Band aclinic beforeo the start of the event, helping the jazz band polish their music and improve their jazz skills.
The event kicked off as doors opened at 4:15 p.m.
Student volunteers in the band program were seen all over the school, assisting bands around the state. When a band would arrive, a student volunteer would direct them to the Orchestra Room, where they would warm up.
When the time came for their performance, a volunteer would direct them to the stage, where they would perform their prepared set. Then, after their performance was finished, they would be directed to the band room for their clinic. In this room, professional jazz musicians would critique and help improve the high school jazz band’s set and overall skills.
The sequence of bands that performed was: West Essex High School Jazz Ensemble, Manville High School Jazz Band, Scotch-Plains Fanwood Jazz, JP Stevens Lab Jazz, Steinhart High School Jazz Band, Southern Regional Jazz Ensemble, Morristown High School Spectrum Jazz Ensemble, Ramsey High School Jazz Band, PCTVS Jazz Band, West Orange Jazz Ensemble, Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble, JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble, Scotch-Plains Fanwood Moonglowers, BRHS Monday Band, and the Earl Phillips Big Band.
The event was a massive success, helping promote and spread jazz among high school students and creating a fun event for students to relax and simply listen to music.
Senior Nicholas Venet commented on the eveng: “The Jazz Festival was a great event and we got to listen and perform against bands from all over the state. It was an amazing experienc,e and I can’t wait to perform with these people again during the competition season!”
The Monday Band Director and Co- Band Director at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, Dr. Tom Bourgault, also evaluated the event.
“Music brings students of all ages together and we were able to do that with this event,” he said. “We invited 13 guest bands and we could all make music together!”
Looking ahead, the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Monday Band’s next performance will be on March 4, at the high school’s auditorium, for the New Jersey Association for Jazz Education Prelims Competition.