Roosevelt Jazz Placements for 2016-17

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Congratulations to all! We auditioned nearly 150 Jazz musicians and are adding a 4th jazz band! New Vocal Jazz and Jazz Band I students MUST be sure to register for the class! If for any reason you cannot commit to the group in which you have been placed, LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY.

Thank you for auditioning!!
Mr. Brown, Mr. Van Bebber and Mr. Taylor

Roosevelt Jazz Band I 2016-17

Saxophones
Alto: Madeline Toll, Sean Bowman, Misae Nguyen
Tenor: Elliot Halpern, Xander Johns, Kai Despain, Aiden Ryser
Bari: Aisling Doyle-Wade
Trumpets
Ben Sahlin, Jack Bylund, Joe Garlid, Carter Eng, Thomas Hinds, Matthew Gasper
Trombones
Elise Toney, Nyal McCrea, Ethan Nolander
Rhythm Section
Guitar: Julia Tanner, Nick Swedin, Kammy Yedor
Bass: Cormac Liotta, Jack Hanish, Jonah Harper
Drums: David Maltby, Ethan Lefaive, Sam Clement
Piano: Eli Sheldon, Aaron Korver

*PLEASE NOTE: We will only be able to take 25 students to Essentially Ellington, in the event we are accepted by recorded audition.

Roosevelt Jazz Band II 2016-17

Saxophones
Alto: Tony Lutenko, Luciano de la Iglesia, Daniel Mengedoht
Tenor: Kaiya Nishino, James Pettis, Lincoln Trelease, Isabela Escobedo
Bari: Austin Isgrig, Dylan Korver, David Tabakian
Trumpets
Will Knight, Matt Buchanan, Aidan McCoy, Graham Fulton, Lily Schwartz
Trombones
Zach Sahlin, Daniel Matsumoto, Theo Ramels, Toby Jay
Rhythm Section
Guitar: Simon Appel
Bass: Maddie Herbst, Laurel Colescott, Palmer McDaniel
Drums: Henry Mohr, Sophia Bondi
Piano: Zain Wedemeyer

Roosevelt Jazz Band III 2016-17

Saxophones
Alto: Olin Sorby, Karen Gaffney, Sander Fogerty, Nicholas Araya-Bain
Tenor: Nick Altemeier, Tazio Arredondo, Olivia Sayrs, Gabriel Sanchez
Bari: William Shirley
Trumpets
Ryan Davies, Della Paloy, Devlin Swanson
Trombones
Will Mahony, Willie Berg, Alexis Kim, Jacob Waag
Rhythm Section
Guitar: We have an opening for guitar!
Bass: Nikko Oster
Drums: Finn Greeley, Satchel Schwartz
Piano: Kai Medina

Roosevelt Jazz Band IV 2016-17

Saxophones
Alto: Elliot Hughes, Maria Mann, Mia Rigler
Tenor: Eli Rosen, James Whealan, June Brown, Calvin Williams
Bari: We need someone to switch to baritone saxophone!
Trumpets
Nathan Reudink, Lucas Williams
Trombones
Ryan Tindall, Jack Barnes, Josh Peterson, Ian Adelman
Rhythm Section
Guitar: We have an opening for guitar!
Bass: Max Pleskoff
Drums: Peter Casazza, Aiden Shapero
Piano: Joe Begley, Emma Browning

Roosevelt Vocal Jazz Ensemble 2016-17

VOCALIST ROSTER
Soprano
Maya Hunter, Samantha Cohen, Alma Cassandra Aleman, Maxine McCuller, Meghan McFadden
Alto
Mia Bell, Brigit Brady, Caroline Brammer, Lily Brammer, Gabriella Green, Laura Madsen, Olivia Pess (Waitlist), Kammy Yedor
Tenor
Nelson Lobo, Phillip Solheim
Bass
Nate Koidahl, Jaret Miller, Markus Teuton

RHYTHM SECTION
Piano: Katie Benmar, Bryan Rhinehart
Drums: Thomas Symons
Bass: Bazyl Carroll, Max Young

Audition Music Now Available!

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Hello Jazz families and musicians,

You can find the music for students preparing for jazz band auditions below.  Please note:

  • There is separate music for sax and brass
  • Solar should be learned by all auditioning students (sax, brass and rhythm)
  • ALL sax, brass, and rhythm students should also prepare a SHORT excerpt of a jazz piece of their own choosing.
  • No additional music other than Solar for rhythm.

2016 Audition Music:

INSTRUCTIONS From Mr. Brown

Saxes and Brass:

  1. Learn the medium swing written excerpt. Play with swing articulation, keep a steady medium swing tempo, and play expressively!
  2. Learn the melody and changes to Miles Davis’ Solar. You will play the melody; then improvise for a maximum of two choruses.
  3. Play a jazz excerpt of your choice which showcases your abilities as a jazz musician.

All Rhythm Section players:

  1. Learn the melody and changes to Miles Davis’ Solar. You will perform this piece multiple times with various combinations of players, during the Rhythm Section Auditions on FRIDAY, June 17th.
  2. Play a jazz excerpt of your choice which showcases your abilities as a jazz musician.
  3. Basses, guitarists, pianists and drummers may be asked to demonstrate skills which are fundamental to playing jazz on your specific instrument.

The most important thing for all players is that you play with a mature, confident, swinging sound! It should be evident to us that you listen to jazz, and understand the sounds and vocabulary that are fundamental to playing this music. We understand that you might be nervous. Just do your best!

Thanks for auditioning for Roosevelt Jazz… Good Luck!

Brown and Van Bebber

UPDATE: Roosevelt Jazz Band Auditions for 2016-17

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NOTE: Date changed for rhythm section auditions, and details changed for Vocal Jazz auditions.

June 12 – Incoming freshman; sax and brass: 11:00am.
June 13 – Returning Roosevelt students; sax: 2:45pm.
June 14 – Returning Roosevelt students; brass: 2:45pm.
June 17 – Incoming freshman & returning students; rhythm section: 2:45pm

We acknowledge that middle school students may be a little late due to travel time. More information will be available soon on the rooseveltjazz.org website under the Events tab.

Audition music will be posted here as soon as it becomes available.

Vocal Jazz Auditions:
Students entering grades 9-12 who are not currently enrolled in Vocal Jazz at Roosevelt are welcome to audition.  This includes incoming 9th graders who have had vocal jazz experience in middle school.

There is a sign up sheet posted on the bulletin board outside of the band room for Vocal Jazz Auditions. Auditions will run from 2:45 – 3:35 on Monday, June 6th, Tuesday, June 7th and Wednesday, June 8th. Please sign up if you are interested.

There is no audition material for Vocal Jazz.  Students will be asked to fill out a form when they arrive at their audition. Auditions will consist of: matching pitch with a strong, steady, mature sound; quickly learning a melody; improvising over blues changes. You are not required to prepare a song. Sound, accuracy, style and improvisation are the priorities. Any student admitted to Roosevelt Vocal Jazz for the 2016-2017 school year must commit to BOTH semesters.

JB3 Wins Bellevue Jazz Festival Awards

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Congratulations to Jazz Band 3 for winning first place in their division at Bellevue Jazz Festival!

In addition, three of our soloists received outstanding solo awards:

Tenor Sax – James Pettis

Bari Sax – David Tabakian

Trumpet – Will Knight

Congratulations Jazz Band 3 and soloists!