Annual Jazz Cafe Held at UHS
On Friday, May 13 at 7 p.m., the assorted jazz bands of the Urbana School District gave their last hurrah during the 2010-2011 school year.
Starting at promptly at seven o’clock, the Urbana Middle School Jazz Band started off the extravaganza with a strong horn based tune reminiscent of the late 1970’s jazz revival.
After playing another set, the middle school students quickly left the stage and the lights dimmed low. The group that everyone was waiting for was about to arrive on stage, in the flesh: the Urbana High School jazz band!
The event was full of excitement, rhythm, and groove, and it was really taking hold of the audience. During a couple numbers towards the end of the show, a few brave souls even ventured out to dance.
When asked about this seemingly random change in attitude from appreciative audience to swinging night clubbers, Sophomore Jordi Paki-Rodrigeuz, a member of the jazz combo which played latter on in the show, shrugged and told the Echo “I don’t know. I think jazz and rhythm is universal. You just can’t hold it in for too long without exploding.”
Amongst performances of classic jazz anthems and rhythmic melodies one gem stood out in particular: a duet of Bing Crosby’s “Oh What a Wonderful World” by Freshman Hannah King and Senior Cierra Steward. Both stole the show, and a hush fell over the audience, which was usually very vocal in its musical opinions.
There was no doubt that King and Steward where the best. Steward made everyone’s head turn when she opened her mouth and sang the first few opening lines of the song, with King following, surprising everyone in the audience with her far reaching voice that didn’t need a microphone.
“Oh my god Hannah can sing!” said Freshmen Sophia Gehrmann. Needless to say, the jazz band went out of the 2010-2011 school year with a rhythmic, copacetic BANG!
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