Don Amero Concert

I felt that we did really well at the Don Amero Concert. I have heard many compliments about how well we did. Don expressed that we had much improved since we played for him last year. I believe that everyone played very well. It was more than just a surprise when Donovan picked up his trombone and played for Feliz Navidad, he did very well. After we played we were very respectful of everyone around us. I was very happy that we could pull together a great show on kinda short notice. It meant a lot to me to be able to open Don Amero's Christmas show again. On a personal note I did not realize that I could play that loud. I felt that I did a very good job on my solo in Auld Lang Syne. I feel that I played to the very best of my ability. I was very happy with my performance and everyones performance. It was a very good concert and Don is very, very talented. He is a great singer with an amazing voice. I thank Don for giving us this opportunity to open his concert and listen to him perform.

Don Amero Concert

I feel i did just OK in the one song I played. I played Feliz Navidad i didn't completely know the song but, I did well in spite of that. The crowd wasn't nearly as in to our performance as they were into Dan Amero's. I was very nervous for my performance, as it was my first time every playing bass alone in front of a crowd. As a group the band did very well I thought, especially on Leap Frog and Watermelon Man. The Christmas tunes could have been stronger but i was pleased with our efforts.

Dan Amero was a phenomenal musician, I thoroughly enjoyed his performances. The mood was great and the whole crowd was very much into it.

-Tyson

Opionation.

My opinion of how the concert went was swell, very swell. I think we did very good. Wateremellon Man went very good, Feliz Navidad was excellent, Leap Frog sounded different than normal, but good. Let It Snow was a bit faster than normal, but it went well, and Auld Lynge Syne went pretty good. The crowd liked all of them, we even got a compliment afterwards from a lady who had never even known V.C.I. had a jazz band, and she loved it. Otherwise I think our performance did well.

my personal opion by teagan cole

i like the performance. it went well but feliz navida needed some work as well as let it snow. but for all the rest they went fairly well. we should try to jazz up the the winter songs. but they went well for the most part. this is a learning experience for the group and me. we should discuss the way things went and change it up a bit.

Don Amero Concert

Overall our performance was a huge success. The audience thoroughly enjoyed our new version of Watermelon Man, as well as Leap Frog, with an outstanding appreciation for our Christmas tunes. I think we managed to stay tight and well sound-balanced as a group. Our only real problem was rushing the slow parts in Watermelon Man and Feliz Navidad. For my individual performance, I could have tried some new techniques with the congas, and lightened up (my own tension) on drums. I was able to keep fairly steady pace and not drown anyone else out. The performance was a huge success.

Don Amero Concert

We opened for Don Amero's concert in Virden, part of the "Have Yourself Amero Little Christmas" (ha ha) tour. My personal playing improved from our last concert which we performed at the Legion on Remembrance Day. I felt much more confident, and even tried to follow along in the chord progressions during the soloing part of "Watermelon Man" to begin improving in this area. The audience was calm and I definitely did not feel as nervous as I did at the Legion while performing.

As a whole, I believe we performed well. Our strongest pieces were probably "Leap Frog" and "Watermelon Man", our most practiced pieces. During "Feliz Navidad" the horn section wasn't quite together with the xylophone (aka me). "Let It Snow" and "Auld Lang Syne" were the shortest pieces, without a lot of complexity, but they went well for their first time. The saxophone beginning of "Auld Lang Syne" was quite effective and intimate.

Don Amero is an inspiring musician and the atmosphere of the entire evening was enjoyable. Yeah.

-Andrew

Opening Performance for Don Amero

The performance was a success! Everyone played well, and the crowd really enjoyed it. We found our spots once we got there, and everyone transported their own instrument after school. We helped each other out when we needed to. We started by playing 'Watermelon Man', then 'Feliz Navidad', 'Leap Frog', 'Let it Snow' and lastly 'Auld Lang Syne'. I played well with the group. The only thing I think needs a little work is the balance between us when we play. Some were a little late coming in Feliz Navidad. Other than that everything was fine. Some surprise contributions was Donovan playing trombone. It worked out though.

Dec 14

So today we continued to prepare for our concert tomorrow evening, opening for Don Amero. We put together the order we are going to preform our songs, Watermelon Man, Feliz Navaidad, Leap Frog, Let It Snow, and Auld Lang Syne. We seem to be prepared for tomorrow.

Tomorrow we need to figure out our stage positions and auxiliary percussion.

-Laura

Gentle Reminder and Support

Hi Everyone!
I hope that all of you have been checking out our blog.  Please realize that comments should be posted to add to things that are posted or to remind you to post a bit more than you did.

Good luck with your concert on Wednesday - I know you will do well.  You have a great start - just stay focused.  The pieces are what they are and you know them well.  Play strong!  I know you will do an amazing job and represent everyone well!

Love you all!  Have a great rehearsal!  Let me know how it goes - everyone needs to blog after a concert!

Mrs. Yochim

December 10

We did "Feliz Navidad" "Leap Frog" "Aud Lange Syne" "Watermelon Man" "Let It Snow"

Dec. 8

Today we worked on our Christmas carols (Feliz Navidad, Auld Land Syne, and Let It Snow). We confirmed a set up for Auld Lang Syne, and will continue to tweak the others. We ran through our new setup of Watermelon Man and decided who and it what order the solos will be played, and finished off with Leap Frog to end the class.

Dec 6

We warmed up with the old-time favourite "Leap Frog", followed by "Let It Snow", which we are in the process of learning. After this, we began work on "Auld Lang Syne" (aye, lassie), and reviewed "Feliz Navidad", which is our most developed Christmas song thus far.

We are still organized as a group. It appears as if we will be prepared for the Don Amero concert on December 15th.

-Andrew

Jazz Band Remodeled

Our jazz band class is in for a change! Rather than placing all responsibility on our teacher, students will be self-directed, running rehearsals and planning under the oversight and evaluation of Mrs.Yochim. Student participation is central. The project is "expected to evolve" rather than fall into place right away. As part of this change, regular blogging, tracking our progress, will be occurring.

The class began with a discussion of this change. Concerns and thoughts were voiced, leading to agreements. The change is effective immediately. That is all. Updates are forthcoming.

-VCI Jazz Band