Amanda O’Reilly received an Outstanding Soloist award for her bari sax solo with CHS Jazz Band 2 during the Clackamas Jazz Festival. ALESHA CULP
Amanda O’Reilly received an Outstanding Musician and Soloist award as Creswell High’s Jazz Band 2, under the direction of Sandi Green, took home second place in the 3A Division during the Clackamas Jazz Festival, held March 15-17 at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City.
CHS Vocal Jazz, Jazz Band 1 and the Creswell Middle School Jazz Band also competed, all under Green’s direction.
CHS Vocal Jazz was selected by festival coordinators and judges to receive the Spirit of Jazz award, presented to the program that best embodies the spirit of jazz music. This highly coveted honor ”speaks to musicians’ ‘performance’ both on and off the stage,” noted CHS Music Boosters President Mandy Hoggard.
Vocal Jazz Outstanding Soloist awards went to Destin Halvorson, Blake Nelson, Mathieu Foster and Anastasia Newell.
Jazz 1 competed up a division, against 4A, 5A and 6A schools. The group did not place but received glowing feedback from adjudicators.
Jazz 2’s set included ”Autumn Leaves,” ”Boogie Stop Shuffle” and ”Groove Merchant.”
CHS Vocal Jazz performed ”Shadow of Your Smile”; ”Mr. Hooper’s Find It in a Minute Book,” with solos by Newell, Kylie Hecker, Foster, Halvorson and Jekay Bosisto; and ”Red Clay,” with solos by Newell, Foster and Nelson (on soprano sax).
Jazz 1’s set in the 4A Division included ”Mary’s Idea,” ”Celia” and ”Bemsha Swing.” Bands from a 6A, a 5A and a 4A school made the finals. However, ”the clinician for Jazz 1 commented that they were playing the most interesting, most complicated music that he had heard all day,” Hoggard said. ”He noted that ‘Celia’ was a piece that he was working on with his college band.”
CMS Jazz played ”Driving Home”; ”Only a Paper Moon,” with a vocal solo by Leona Marquess; and ”Groove Merchant.” Hoggard said CHS musicians willingly worked on music and assisted their younger counterparts in navigating the festival.
”Our students made Creswell proud by their musicianship and citizenship, both on and off the stage,” Hoggard said. ”It’s amazing to see this musical family working together, and young people coming together to celebrate their successes and hard work.”