The Juilliard Jazz Orchestra’s performance on October 7th was my first experience with live jazz. My first thought was how surprised I was at how many people came to hear such a young group of musicians play. After hearing both sets, I understood how talented the performers were, and their young age made it even more impressive.
Jazz has never been my favorite kind of music, as I have always preferred a set melody that I could follow. However, the syncopation and somewhat random tunes have begun to grow on me. My favorite pieces that the orchestra played were the upbeat tunes of “Freckle Face”, “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie!”, and “Tickle Toe.” Each of these had surprising tempo changes and very quick beats that forced me to pay closer attention and made me want to get up and dance. Although the song “To You” had a much slower beat, it was still one of my favorites. I felt I could understand the emotion in each drawn out note of the saxophones and trombones, and almost felt like the “you” the song was directed at.
I found the tenor saxophonists and the trumpeters the most impressive. They each performed with a lot of visible passion and gusto and seemed extremely experienced. I also really enjoyed the performers in the rhythm section. Although they did not have too many solos and they mostly just blended in with the music, their consistency and concentration made them stand out. Their beats provided the backbone for each piece, and without them, the sentiment and fluidity of the music would be lost.
The aspect of watching jazz live that is the most memorable to me is being able to watch how quickly and skillfully each of the performers’ fingers moved. I can’t imagine being able to focus enough to move my fingers with such speed while having to blow in accordance with the rhythm and make sure not to miss my cue. I was also extremely impressed when I heard that the students had learned and perfected one of the pieces in less than 24 hours.
Even though I still don’t love jazz, this concert made me like it a lot more than I had. The skill and precision that I witnessed and heard made me appreciate the complexity of the music and I look forward to learning more about it.
Nice review. Most Jazz you will hear will be in a small bar or club, noisy and crowded. If you are over 18, take a friend and hear the difference. Today’s Jazz is very different. It might prove an interesting experiment. I wonder if you had any comment on hearing one of the original player with Count Bessie band: Frank Wess at 85 years old? Did you notice his picture at the Jazz museum?