DJUSD bands gear up for annual Jazz Extravaganza

By Tess McIntyre,
BlueDevilHUB.com Editor–

The annual Jazz Extravaganza concert will take place in Richard Brunelle Performance Hall at 7:30 p.m on Dec. 13. All Davis Joint Unified School District jazz ensembles will perform, which includes jazz bands from all the junior high schools, the Davis High jazz choir, and the DHS jazz band and combos.

Though the Jazz Extravaganza has been around for many years, DHS band director Thomas Slabaugh invited the junior high groups to participate in the concert in 2012, and has found it to be “a great success.”

“In the past few years, we have really enjoyed seeing all the jazz ensembles in the district come together and make music. The audience has the chance to see how students grow, learn, play together, and have fun from 8th through 12th grade. This is a very cool moment!” Slabaugh said.

Harper Junior High band director Nancy Sanchez thinks that the Jazz Extravaganza is a good opportunity for the various groups to listen to each other play.

“Prior to Mr. Slabaugh joining our team, the only time all the jazz bands got together was for Coconut Grove, which is a primary fundraiser for the high school’s booster organization.  Mr. Slabaugh is the person who has really strongly encouraged and organized these events for all of us to work together and hear each other’s groups,” Sanchez said.

Furthermore, Sanchez explained that her students were excited to hear the older players’ solos in order to adapt ideas for their own solos, how more advanced drummers combine beats and the small jazz combos. Additionally, her students are looking forward to listening to the other groups music.

Senior Ty Wilkinson is in Jazz band, and he especially enjoys the music selection for the Jazz Extravaganza.

“Usually we play a Christmas song every year, and it’s the only time of the year where we get to play something a little out the ordinary,” Wilkinson said.