Band shines at jazz celebration

The SHS Varsity Jazz Band is hot stuff.

The Sisters High School Varsity Jazz band and several individual musicians made a strong impression in their first appearance at the University of Oregon Jazz Celebration on January 19.

The band spent 45 minutes playing their best in a performance clinic with two jazz studies professionals: guitarist Michael Denny and trombonist/composer Dave Glen.

The clinicians were excited to present the advanced artistic concepts of the jazz idiom to the Sisters students. They indicated that several aspects of the band's performance were the best they had heard all day -- most importantly the excitement shown by the band for the music they performed.

The format of the celebration is not competitive. However, outstanding soloist awards are given to individuals on each of the nine jazz band instruments.

Two of those awards were claimed by Sisters students: Ben Scharf on piano, and Justin Little on tenor saxophone.

The entire band was also recognized and further admired. Each year two outstanding bands from the performance clinics are invited to perform in an evening concert with the Oregon Jazz Ensemble and the guest artist.

The SHS Varsity Jazz Band received this invitation and proudly opened the sold out evening concert. The concert went on to feature over an hour of jazz big band compositions by Grammy nominee Maria Schneider who was this year's Jazz Celebration guest artist as guest conductor of the Oregon Jazz Ensemble.