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Second Prize: Amy Dee
Eau Claire North High School
Eau Claire, WI
The Next Level
I had signed up for Jazz II, our middle band. Where I ended up was Jazz I, our top jazz band. Instead of leading a swarm of lesser players, I was trailing a team of virtuosos. These were incredible musicians; a group of them earned the "Best Combo" award at the annual UWEC jazz festival. And there I was, a junior, a girl, and a slightly above average saxophonist, sitting among giants.
During first quarter the two other altos and I took turns playing the lead parts on what were always easy songs. I played well enough. I wasn't a bad player, but I was always several steps below the "senior guys."
In early second quarter we got our music for the Essentially Ellington competition. We altos each took two first parts. I had "Bli-Blip" and "Rhapsody in Blue." "Bli-Blip" was low on the band's priority list, and my part wasn't technically challenging. Meanwhile, I worked on "Rhapsody."
In that piece, the lead alto actually leads. The clarinet doesn't come in until the end, and the trumpets don't play with the saxophones until the last chorus. Saxophone lines, always featuring a vibrant alto voice, are meant to stand out. Even in the backgrounds, the saxophones sing. What's more, the lead alto gets a four measure solo.
This wasn't some high-school arrangement to be played at some local bash. This was real music for a real audience. I worked my tail off. There were afternoons where I'd sit by my dad's aged monstrosity of a sound system, studying the recording. I'd listen to the solo, pause, rewind, and listen to it again. Then I'd play it on my own. Then back to the CD. I started playing along with it. I repeated the process for every line.
The band noticed. My teacher complimented me, my friend complimented me, and (blush) the senior guys complimented me. What's more, I noticed. Whenever the band played "Rhapsody" (which was never frequent enough for me) I was astonished at the sounds coming from my saxophone. It had never made sounds like that before. It was bold, brilliant, and distinct. It was finally worthy to be a part of Jazz I.
After the Essentially Ellington contest taught me what I could do, I threw myself into my playing. "Rhapsody" had taken me to the next level. Jazz class was no longer the timid tinkering of first quarter; it was an exciting exploration, a fun frenzy of real music with newfound abilities.
This year I couldn't sit still when we got our first look at the Ellington music. What new techniques and sounds could these charts teach me? Right now I've got "Isfahan" in my folder. It's a lead alto feature, with two whole pages of saxophone singing. As I type, it's playing in my headphones. Can Ellington bring me to a new level again? Will my playing improve exponentially with each rehearsal? If past experience proves anything, the answer is a resounding yes.
Return to the Essentially Ellington Essay Contest
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Jazz at Lincoln Center
Essentially Ellington
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New York, NY 10023
Email: ee@jalc.org
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