• Announcements
  • Honors
  • About the Jazz Bands !
  • Curriculum
  • Support Jazz Ed!
  • Auditions

  • 2012 Winter Jazz Concert Pictures 2012 Winter Jazz Concert Pictures Thank You to Kevin Roberts for sharing these photos from the Winter Jazz Concert on January 26 2012. Please click on the photo to link to this album.
  • Recent Honors Recent Honors Eli Brown, the lead trumpet player in the Symphony Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Marching Band and Advanced Jazz band at Samohi and currently in his junior year was chosen as a “Semi- Finalist” in the prestigious Los Angeles Spotlight Awards in the jazz instrumentalist category over the holiday break. Eli will now move to the next round of competition with the outcome resulting in only TWO top finalists. If he makes it to the finalist round, he and the other finalist will perform in the Dorothy Chandler along with all the other top finalists in all the other arts disciplines. http://www.musiccenter.org/education/spot_nowwhat.html. Eli is also first chair trumpet in both the SCSBOA and the CBDA Honor Orchestras.
  • More Recent Honors More Recent Honors Kyle McCreight, the lead trombonist in the Wind Ensemble and Advanced Jazz Band at Samohi was recently informed that he has been chosen to play LEAD TROMBONE in the California All State Jazz Band this year! This is quite a feat, especially when you consider that Kyle is only a sophomore. Kyle is also an excellent student and athlete (baseball and football) at Samohi.
  • Congratulations to Samohi Jazz! Congratulations to Samohi Jazz! The SAMOHI JAZZ BAND has just received a grant from the Flourish Foundation which includes a congratulatory letter and a check for $2500 to support the program! This combined with the Ella Fitzgerald grant of $3000 totals $5500 Samohi Jazz! Congratulations to Tom Whaley and the Jazz Band!

     
  • The Samohi Jazz band’s numerous achievements include placing first last year, (2011) at the largest high school jazz festival in the world, the Berklee College of Music Jazz Festival in Boston. The big band and combo placed first in the highest division at the festival and Steven Gordon- piano and Jake Noveck- guitar, were chosen as the two most outstanding soloists of the festival.
  • The Samohi Jazz bands have won numerous other festivals including: The Western States Jazz Festival and Super Jazz Festival. In addition, the band has performed at some of the most prominent jazz clubs in Los Angeles including the Jazz Bakery and the Catalina Bar and Grill.
  • Past guest artists have included: Gordon Goodwin, Eric Merienthal, Lee Thornberg, Bob Mintzer, Doug Webb, Wayne Bergeron and Steve Reid. Select students from the jazz band were also featured in concerts with Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Heart, Dave Mason and Billy Idol to raise money for arts education in the Santa Monica-Malibu district.
  • Samohi Jazz with Bob Mintzer Samohi Jazz with Bob Mintzer
  • Samohi Jazz with Wayne Bergeron Samohi Jazz with Wayne Bergeron
  • Samohi Jazz with Steve Reid Samohi Jazz with Steve Reid
  • Samohi Jazz with Andy Martin Samohi Jazz with Andy Martin

     

 

  • For the last few years, the Samohi jazz band program has been offered as a dual enrollment class through Santa Monica College.
  • The class is offered after school two days a week from 3:30-5:30 and consists of two full big bands and one jazz combo.
  • In 2009, due to increased interest and visibility, more students expressed an interest in enrolling in the class, so a second Intermediate Jazz Band, called Jazz Band 2 was offered to students.
  • The new band director at Samohi, Mr. Mike Corrigan directed the Intermediate Jazz Band known as Jazz Band 2 since 2009. Mr. Corrigan has 40 years of experience as a very successful band director in the State of California. To read about Mr. Corrigan, click the picture.
  • This year, Ms. Jessica Swift will be directing the Intermediate Band. To read more about Ms. Swift, click the picture.
  • The Adanced Jazz band or Jazz Band 1 is under the direction of Mr. Tom Whaley, who also serves as the district’s Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator. To read about Mr. Whaley, click the picture.

     

Jazz Solo

Download a PDF of
the 2011 Jazz Bands Syllabus Here

The bands play at least three concerts and two jazz festivals plus public performances in the community by the jazz combo each year. Click here for a calendar of scheduled performances at jazz festivals and events in the community.

The Samohi Jazz Band class promotes cultural awareness and dialogue because of the rich history of jazz as a true American art form and as a part of the class, students discuss how jazz developed as a result of European harmonies and African rhythms.

 

Students are expected to be responsible for practicing their music, attending after school rehearsals and performances and presenting to the class about a favorite jazz musician or composer and be able to explain why they chose that artist. Creativity is all about jazz and improvisation. Students are taught that improvising is like composing on the spot! In the class, the students are taught many different ways to approach improvisation. Students are exposed to articles on all aspects of jazz and contemporary music and they are provided with a play along cd to practice with as well as regular visits from guest clinicians.

 
Jazz Solo
Jazz Solo

Students who have participated in the Samohi jazz band are motivated to succeed in all their academic classes, because they are motivated to be in school, they believe in themselves and they are proud of their accomplishments. Many of the students thought that they wouldn’t be able to learn how to play jazz because they’re experience had only been in the classical music realm, but they soon learned that they can do both well and that it is a blessing for students to be exposed to a well rounded music curriculum. A copy of the Samohi Jazz Band syllabus can be obtained by clicking here.

The Samohi Jazz band has and will continue to play at numerous events on campus and in the community. For example, after the Katrina hurricane disaster, the jazz band performed at a student fundraiser on campus to help the victims of the disaster and the Samohi jazz band and combo has also performed at the “Walk Now For Autism” event at the Pasadena Rose Bowl. In addition, the jazz band has helped the concert band at Samohi by encouraging students who play flute or clarinet, to learn either alto, tenor or baritone saxophone as well so they can broaden their skill sets and become “doublers”.
Jazz Concert

 

The Samohi Jazz band program would not be possible
if not for the generous support of the following:

Santa Monica College
The Ella Fitzgerald Foundation
The Flourish Foundation

If you’d like to contribute to the Samohi Jazz Bands, a check can be made out to:
“SMAPA – Samohi Bands.” (Santa Monica Arts Parents Association).
Please write “Jazz Band” in the memo of the check
so the funds will be directed to the Jazz Program at Samohi.

Download A PDF of the 2011 Audition Requirements

Audition Information

Piano players and Guitar players

  • Comp a 12 bar Bb blues. This means that you will be given a tempo and you must play chords in
    a “comping” style over the appropriate chords, with good time, repeating until told to stop.
  • Sight-reading - at least 2 styles of jazz arrangement (provided) For example; swing and Latin.
    Reading “Jazz chords..like C7 and F-7, plus some rhythms assigned to the chords. Some
    songs/parts may have written chords to read.
  • Improvisation - If you’d like to demonstrate your improvisation, it is recommended, but not
    required.

Drummers

  • You will be asked to play swing time at a moderate tempo to determine proper use of the high
    hat, ride cymbal and fills on the snare with GOOD TIME.
  • You will then be asked to alternate between 4 measures of swing time, 4 measures of solo and continue back and forth until told to stop.
  • You will be asked to play another type of groove, like: funk, rock or a Latin feel.
  • Sight reading - at least 2 styles of jazz arrangement (provided) For example; swing and Latin.
    Your ability to read rhythms and keep your place in the music will be considered.

Bass Players

  • Play a “walking bass line” on a 12 bar Bb blues with good time, repeating until told to stop.
  • Sight reading - at least 2 styles of jazz arrangement (provided). For example; swing and Latin.
  • Improvisation - If you’d like to demonstrate your improvisation or other examples of your ability
    (like slap), it is recommended, but not required.

ALL Horn Players

  • Scales - You will be asked to play 2 major scales and asked to play them in at least 2 octaves.
    Your tone quality, and air support will also be considered.
  • Sight reading - at least 2 styles of jazz arrangement (provided) For example; swing and Latin.
    Your awareness of jazz articulation will be considered as well.
  • Improvisation - If you’d like to demonstrate your improvisation or other examples of your ability,
    it is recommended, but not required.