New after-school jazz band brings notes to Mira Costa

By Diane Lee
Staff Writer

Mira Costa now offers an after school jazz band that gives the students who didn’t qualify for the fourth period Jazz Band another opportunity to play jazz.

Band director Joel Carlson first suggested the idea for a second jazz band that will meet after school. The fourth period class had to turn away quite a few people during auditions, but Carlson still wanted to give them a taste of jazz music.

“This is a great chance for the kids who want to dip their toes and get their feet wet in jazz music,” Carlson said. “It will prepare them for the higher level jazz music by starting them at a fundamental level.”

The new jazz band is conducted by a local jazz musician, Justin Janer, whom Carlson first met during a summer music camp. Janer leads a jazz group called The Justin Janer Quartet and has released a jazz album entitled “Following Signs”.

“I love jazz and have spent a lot of time playing in large ensembles,” Janer said. “When Mr. Carlson told me that the school was looking for someone to teach their second jazz band and that he wanted me as its director, I was thrilled.”

Since its establishment at the start of second semester, the group has been meeting every Wednesday and Thursday after school. According to Janer, the 20 or so members have progressed in the short period of time.

The after school jazz band showed off their progress at their first performance in the Spring Band Concert last Friday, March 25. Performing after the concert band, it played “Midnight Swing” by Joe Riposo, “Rompe Cabeza” by Doug Beach and “Groovin’ Hard” by Don Menza.

“For their first performance, they played really well,” concert band sophomore Jane Tian said. “They sounded very nice and seemed to have worked very hard. The after school jazz band is a great addition to our already excelling band program.”

The after school jazz band provides a different experience from playing classical music. The students learn techniques such as improvisations and new scales.

“The band is a lot of fun. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in jazz music and wants to try playing it,” sophomore trombone player Kate Bacich said.