Jazz Ensemble Tour 2011 Music, Magic and Medieval Times

The Eureka High Jazz Ensemble just returned from a successful trip to the Jazz Festival.
The band placed placed 8th out of 21 bands and 4 points out of 3rd place in their division! Awesome job guys! So when you see one of the members of our wonderful Jazz Ensemble, tell the congratulations!

Mr. Young chronicled their adventure, the good the bad and the ugly! Read all about it!

Day 1:

A mudslide that buckles the road fifty feet on both sides has started our story before we leave the parking lot.  What should have been a four hour first leg to our journey has turned into 9 hrs. We loaded the bus at midnight with 19 students, instruments, 3 fearless chaperones and a cantankerous director. We haven't played any music yet, but this group is already working together. No complaining, just blissful slumber and quiet conversation. I can see distant lights. John tells me those are called stars.

Day 1 part 2:

20 hours after departure we arrive at the Holiday Inn in Buena Park. Everyone is in good spirits. Only one student's stomach is not diggin' the long drive. We arrived at the hotel and only two of them took advantage of the pool. Sleep was the chart they are reading tonight.

Day 2 part 1:

We are now at the Jazz Festival and are duly impressed and pumped to play. They are attending clinics, master classes and watching other groups. Fullerton is taking care of the rookie director. On a side note. I'd forgotten how different the light is in So Cal. Diffuse at times and others blazing down without relief. We play in just three hours and I can't wait to show jazz Nor-cal style. Kickin' and laid-back!

Day 2 Part 2:

Our students played for three adjudicators who loved us.  We got a special clinic from the pros. We are ready to do our best at the HSU Jazz Festival next Friday. Our students have been listening to some studs in the land of jazz. Just heard a 5-4 version of Beatles "Come Together". In our session we played well together and once again EHS students are striving to shine. I get a glimpse of the amazing adults they will become. Let's pack the house on May 24th at the Arkley center. Next is swords, chain mail and jousting.

Day 3:

Disneyland!

Medieval Times the night before was a blast! Our knight was Sir Conor and there was much rejoicing from the red and yellows upon his entrance. Our young ladies on the tour were happy to ask for an autograph at the conclusion. While our knight was defeated early, the food was messy and filling.

The following morning many of the students made the 7:30 shuttle and entered the gates of the happiest place on earth. All rode the big rides right away. By the the time the late group arrived the place was full with 1 hour waits.

At 1 pm we met our stage mgr. Whitney. She gave us the rundown of the next 2 hours then took us to a huge two door gate in Toon Town. Cameras were brought out, pictures of the gate were taken and we walked in a tiny door right next to it. Awkward! Backstage the happiest place becomes a Wizard of Oz moment. It wasn't dirty.  It just wasn't magical. After changing into our uniforms and a little warm up we hit the stage. Unlike other groups during the day whose audience was peopled mostly by chaperones, we were pulling them in! Several people were into what the Eureka Jazz Ensemble had to say.

After some more time in the park, fireworks and some last minute retail therapy. Jazz Ensemble was back to the hotel by 10:45, happy at the thought of not having to get back to Eureka through Saskatchewan. Leaving So Cal for the happy haunts of the Redwood Curtain and the chance of uninterrupted sleep longer than four hours. As I post this I am glad to be coming home, but not glad to be done taking these amazing young people on this tour of four days, one and half spent on the road. If you see these players ask them about the trip and thank them for representing EHS so well.

Post Script is that the band came in 8th place out of 21 bands and 4 points out of 3rd place in our division. Oh so close!