May 11, 2006

SCHOOL SCENEin Almaden Valley

All that Jazz

Valley Christian Junior High Jazz Band
takes first place in renowned Reno festival

By Justin Petersen
Staff Writer

Judges grooved to the set by Valley Christian’s Junior High Jazz Band and awarded its 20-plus members the top prize at the 44th annual University of Nevada, Reno Jazz Festival April 27-29.

Judges voted Valley tops amongst middle school challengers from a field of 300 national acts of all ages. Above, Valley’s award-winning horns.

Of 300 national acts featuring high school, junior high and college level contestants, judges voted Valley tops amongst middle school challengers, after witnessing a blistering set filled with two crafty covers and one Director of Jazz Studies Dave Gregoric original called “Nueva Comida,” despite landing an early-morning time slot.

“I thought that was one of our best concerts we’ve done so far, even though we had to do it on three hours of sleep,” said eighth grade drummer Nick Sutton. “It was scary, but we had an amazing level of focus. That’s what it takes—trying to stay together and just trying to listen. We listen to how each other plays and try to make our playing work with the time.”

Valley maestros reportedly sauntered through the first two songs before reaching hungry heights in Gregoric’s “Comida.”

“We played a tune last year called ‘The Spicy Burrito,’” said Gregoric. “It was a cool Latin piece, and we wanted another one to follow up on it.”

Gregoric writes many songs drawing from Latin influence, especially in the rhythm section; however, recent collaborations with Santana vocalist Pete Escovido led to “Nueva Comida’s” conception.

“It’s funny how it came out,” said Gregoric. “I was driving home from Oregon thinking about what each kid should play. And I was thinking about Alana [Bautista]’s voice. I ended up talking to Pete and some of my friends who are musicians and it all came out pretty cool. Kids have suggestions though, and they really made the final tune happen.”

The song’s signature sound is Bautista cooing notes, which supplant the need for lyrics. She syncopates harmonies in the inimitable individual style of Maria Schnieder, according to Gregoric.

“I thought when you have a drummer who can play Latin rhythms and a singer who can sing in a Latin style that that is something you need to take advantage of,” he said. “Instead of the voice expressing words, it’s just another color. Alana’s voice is really rich and it adds this beautiful texture to the song.”

Gregoric noted that Valley stole the show and first place, despite featuring the smallest number of students of any school competing

“This is a major accomplishment for a small school,” he said. “I think we are becoming close to being a vanguard in this sort of program. Our school is going to more of a conservatory system. We hope to create a culture at school where students really focus on listening and really understanding jazz as they are learning to play it.”

Gregoric explained that jazz is an aural art, and that he builds the curriculum to support understanding jazz through a listener’s point of view.

“We try to think of jazz at Valley with everything as a style,” he said. “I teach that everything has a feel. Mozart has a feel. You try to understand what he is trying to say—what he intended and what flavor he added into it. When you approach Latin music, you dig into the groove. You learn the history and understand what your take is in it.”

Several students, who subscribe to Gregoric’s theory, have realized benefits and potential. Gregoric highlighted seventh grade bassist C.J. Valderamma and eighth grade pianist Megan Jaspo as crucial members of the band, despite the fact that neither player had ever tapped a note of jazz before September.

“The way they played was very impressive,” said Gregoric. “Megan discovered this innate sense of time and groove, and C.J. is going to be an exceptional bass player. I wanted to teach the kids to avoid being governed by what some record company determines is hip. They can determine that with their own brain.”

Classically trained Jaspo especially appreciated the freedom jazz inspires.

“Jazz is not something you would teach a 7-year-old,” she said. “The best thing about playing jazz is knowing that once you have it all in your fingers, that you can do whatever you want with it and express yourself in music. In classical, you get one piece and you must learn it the way they tell you. But in jazz you get to express yourself and do it in your own way.”

Gregoric was pleased with the victory in Reno, but refused to rest on the laurels past the summer.

“Students are motivated right now and hopefully they will keep their vision,” he said. “We have some more goals. We would like to make the Essential Ellington Finals next year; however, it’s been a really inspiring year. Everyone had fun and they worked hard. The Reno Jazz Festival has been a big goal for a long time. It is the biggest thing we can win right now.”

Judges also acknowledged the musicianship of alto saxophonist Garrett Antonelli. He was among seven outstanding middle school performers selected at the festival, joining drummer Sutton, who was honored a year ago.

Olé!

Students at Williams Elementary School spent Cinco de Mayo as the rancheras and rancheros of early California history at a fun annual event held at the school. The highlight of the day was when the fourth grade students performed the dance, "La Raspa" for the rest of the school and their parents. A fiesta featuring yummy Mexican food like burritos, chips, and salsa was enjoyed as well as an enthusiastic shot at a piñata. “This fun, learning experience was taught in correlation with our social studies curriculum on Mexican California,” said Karen Heverling, principal. “It was a great day!”