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MUSIC
The joint jazz concert at the JAGS Vaughan Williams Auditorium was a night to remember, says George Hannan (Year 10)
On Friday 18 March, five groups of musicians from Alleyn’s, JAGS and Dulwich College performed to a full-capacity audience in the Vaughan Williams Auditorium at JAGS. This event was highly anticipated since it was the first collaborative concert to be held at JAGS for two years, and the audience did not leave disappointed. The Swing Beans opened the concert with two numbers, both of which were played with vibrant solos from each member of the front line. Next was the turn of the Jazz Group, under the capable hands of band director Mr Tom Millar, gliding through a set featuring ‘All the Things You Are’ and McCoy Tyner’s timeless magnum opus, ‘Contemplation’, glued together with stunningly lyrical solos throughout. Performances by two vocal groups, the Black and Blues and the Alleynian Blues, followed, both conducted by Mr
Dan Ludford-Thomas. These talented vocalists delighted the audience with many well-loved songs, notably Alan Menken’s ‘Go the Distance’ – best known for appearing on the soundtrack to the Disney film Hercules – ‘Blackbird’, ‘Any How’ and ‘Mary Did You Know?’. The Other Big Band, conducted by Mr David Eno, performed next, playing swing charts including Benny Golson’s standard ‘Blues March’ as well as wistfully drifting through ‘When I Fall in Love’. After this, the Dulwich College Big Band, also directed by Mr Eno, moved the audience into a state of ecstasy with a rendition of ‘The Sidewinder’, Lee Morgan’s notorious paragon of hard bop, before matching Thad Jones’ improvisation with beautiful solos on Vernon Duke’s ‘April in Paris’. Finally, the Swing Beans merged with the Jazz Group for a performance of ‘Cantaloupe Island’, the perfect end to a night of wonderfully rich and varied jazz.
IT WAS THE FIRST COLLABORATIVE CONCERT TO BE HELD AT JAGS FOR TWO YEARS, AND THE AUDIENCE DID NOT LEAVE DISAPPOINTED
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