Gershwin once said, “Life is a lot like jazz… it’s best when you improvise”. It’s one of the few musical artforms where the same piece could be played night after night, but sound different every time. As an educational tool, it encourages young (and old) musicians to take risks – a ‘wrong’ note will only sound wrong based on the note you choose to follow it with. With all of this in mind, 16 enthusiastic musicians turned up to the first NECOM Jazz-Reading Day on September 21 and played through some of jazz music’s greatest standards – pieces like Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Pennsylvania 6-5000, Fly Me To The Moon and Blue Monk. Students and teachers combined with community members to create a jazz ensemble with all parts covered, from saxophones to trumpets and trombones, through to a fully decked-out rhythm section. Plans are already underway to host a second Reading-Day on Thursday evening, November 16; this session will be held later in the day (from 5 – 6.30pm) so that people with work commitments might still make it along. It’s hoped that the newly-formed NECOM Jazz Band might make its first public appearance at one of our Christmas concerts at the end of November!
Check out the highlights video from the first rehearsal below: