On Monday, May 21st at 7pm, the PMS and PHS Jazz Bands, and the DDG quartet, played at Yoshi’s in Jack London Square.
The middle school Jazz Band played for the first half hour, and then the DDG quartet played various songs, followed by the high school Jazz Band with the assistance of sophomore Dylan Miller who sang vocals for two of the songs. The students played two one and a half hour sets at 7pm and at 9pm.
Senior Allison Quantz greatly enjoyed the show as an audience member and was especially astounded by the performance of the DDG Quartet, consisting of seniors Sebastian Mueller, Josh Berl, and Joey Armstrong, and sophomore Xavier Prospero. All four of them also participate in the PHS jazz band.
“They all sounded really good and you could tell the jazz program has really improved and worked hard over the years,” Quantz said.
According to senior Joe Chellew, all the jazz band performances are requirements for the class, and each student is expected to play. The music department is going to be paid, assuming Yoshi’s makes over the minimum threshold costs. The band will use whatever money they make to buy a new instrument.
At the concert, they played Groovin’ Hard, Fables of Faubus, It Don’t Mean a Thing, Naima, Summertime, and You Win Some, You Blues Some. The professional sound mixing made them all sound really good, Prospero said.
“It was an amazing experience getting to play in a venue that has hosted so many amazing people,” he said.
The jazz band played together as a full band for this concert but have split up into smaller combos for previous performances, Chellew said.
“Overall, jazz band is truly an adventure,” he said.