Nico Stranquist

Junior Jake Summers has a jam session with his bass while practicing for jazz band.

A push for the reinstitution of the West High jazz band is currently in place.  Juniors Jake Summers, CJ Schreiber and Allie Wills are leading the way as the three members in their jazz ensemble.

“I first got involved with Jazz last year, where I played to accompany the school choir concert.  This year, Jazz Band was an elective class and I took it,” junior Jake Summers said.

Summers has been playing the bass, a large string instrument used in orchestra, since sixth grade.

“Playing an instrument is satisfying, because I can express myself through the rhythm and notes I play,” Summers said. “That’s why Jazz is so appealing to me.  It’s a different style of playing than traditional, because we read the changes while playing and get more creative with the music in the moment. Jazz teaches players how to improvise and really feel the music.”

The playing style used in jazz is notably different from the way music is played in an orchestra or marching band.

“A jazz band is usually just a bass, drummer and piano with some type or types of brass instruments, like a saxophone. It is a very personal and smaller feeling, not as overwhelming as listening to a full marching band or orchestra,” Summers said.

The current jazz band is composed of Summers, Schreiber and  Allie Wills, who plays the bass, drums and piano respectively.

“We are working to bring the jazz back to West,” Schreiber said.  “Next semester Jazz Band will be offered as an elective class for the first time in five years, open to anyone who plays an instrument proficiently.”

To get more students to sign up for jazz band, Summers, Schreiber and Wills are focusing on the middle school students as well.

“We are working on recruiting the incoming freshman for next year by occasionally visiting the middle school and informing the students and band teachers about us. It will really help move along the program,” Wills said.

The Jazz Band is currently looking for opportunities to play outside of school to benefit the local community.

“We have called some retirement homes asking to play, and a couple were on board.  We’d play a few times a month for two to three hours each time,” Wills said. “Playing is super fun, and we get to share our joy of music with others when we play for them.”

For the future of Jazz Band, its members are hopeful.

“In the years to come, I see a lot of Jazz being played at West High,” Summers said. “I can almost hear the saxophones ringing in my ears.”