Gramps: Fresh?
Junior: Well, they’re young. They’re all college students. They’re learners, beginners. Newbies. But no less competent. Wouldn’t have them if they weren’t.
Gramps: Jam?
Junior: Well, there will be jazz jamming going on. And lots of other jazz music too.
Gramps: Jazz?
Junior: Skilled and skilful. Learned and learning. Old classics, staples, the whole biz. Big bands and combos.
Gramps: In Martinborough?
Junior: Bringing jazz to the people, by the people, for the people. Part of the Jazz in Martinborough festival of jazz music. A whole new concert, just for jazz musicians from Wairarapa Colleges.
Gramps: Cool?
Junior: And Hot.
“Last year we had about 100 people watching College Jazz in the Town Hall on the Sunday morning of the festival; this year they get their own concert. A whole show to themselves,” says Jazz in Martinborough Festival Music Director Ted Preston.
The new concert, with the working title Fresh Jam, will be held on Saturday 10 August 2013, three weeks before the main festival itself. “We found that our festival clashes with school holidays and college sports tournaments, so this weekend works best for the colleges,” says Ted. “One of our aims is to showcase youth jazz and develop talent from the Wairarapa community.”
“This is really exciting. Last year we had the support of one or two colleges, this year we have at least four, and may have as many as six,” adds Ted. “We have young musicians, some of whom are training specifically to be jazz performers, who are going to be part of the concert.”
There will be students from Wairarapa College, Chanel and Rathkeale. Saali Marks, itinerant teacher of jazz guitar, and Stephan Schulz, TIC Music at Chanel College, have been strong supporters of the idea from its inception.
“There are not enough non competitive types of venues for young musos to participate in and Jazz in Martinborough provides us with a non competitive niche for performing Jazz,” says Stephan.
Stephan put this into context: “Saali Marks has brought in his Jazz influence in his teaching to Chanel. Through my interest of Jazz also [Stephan plays gypsy jazz fiddle with the “Blackberry Jam” trio], we combined our skills and have weekly rehearsals for our Jazz Band (The Garden Party). As a result there are students composing jazz as part of their NCEA assessment,” He adds that: “Our band comprises mainly of vocalists, guitarists, electric bass, keyboard and drums with a little fiddle thrown in.”
Saali put his perspective on it: “I think the [College Jazz] Showcase is a fantastic opportunity for the students to perform to an audience and also to get to see what other young musicians in the area are getting up to. The Standard last year was very high, and my students found it inspiring to realise they are not learning all this jazz stuff in a vacuum.”
