Channing Jazz Night – Tuesday 28th March 

The 15th Jazz Evening was held on the last night of term in the Arundel Centre and was a highly anticipated event, with all tickets being sold well in advance. The night featured a professional quartet consisting of Mr Theo Travis, Mr Alan Brown on drums, Mrs Andrea Vicary on piano, and Miss Julie Walkington on bass. The quartet set the tone for the night and got the audience excited for one of the favourite musical nights of the year.

One of the highlights of the Jazz Evening was when students had the opportunity to perform alongside the professionals. Ruby D sang “Blue Moon,” Georgina G and Evie M sang an arrangement of “Summertime” acapella with a light string bass, Amy P sang “Cry Me a River,” and Evie M sang “At Last.” All of these students showcased their talents and demonstrated that they are stars in the making.

The night also featured a promising young Saxophone Trio that performed “Skylark” with additional accompaniment from the bass and drums. The Brass Ensemble, led by Mr Dodds, performed a fabulous version of “The Chicken!” that had the audience dancing in their seats. In the first part of the night, three Y13s, Grace W on piano, Matilda O on bass, and Celine O on vocals, gave a stylish performance of “Smooth Operator” – hopefully we may get a repeat performance at the 6th Form Concert next Thursday!

During the second half of the Jazz Evening, the Theo Travis Quartet started the set and was followed by two soloists who also performed to a high standard. The night ended with the Jazz Band performing a series of jazz greats including Miles Davis’ “So What,” Glen Miller’s “In a Sentimental Mood,” and Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island.” The players showed impressive improvisation skills, and the audience was thrilled with the performance.

Overall, the Jazz Evening was a great success, and much credit is due to Mr Travis for his hard work and encouragement of the students. It was also impressive to see the young jazz musicians, mostly ranging from years 8-10, performing to such a high standard.