School jazz ensembles make the grade

KPLU's School of Jazz is a mentoring program pairing local jazz professionals with high school and middle school bands. The project began in 2005, through a grant from The Boeing Co.

Each year, the bands have recorded a CD representing their work. "Volume 3" of the series, released Tuesday on Origin Records, was celebrated Monday night at Meany Hall with a concert featuring 11 of the 12 ensembles on the recording.

High standards were maintained by all involved, beginning with the Mountlake Terrace High School. The band performed, with the help of mentor/trombonist David Marriot, a scorching version of Pat Metheny's "Song for Bilbao," the brass section slicing through Alan Baylock's dense arrangement.

Reeds, the main attribute of Bellingham's Squalicum High School, carried "Basie -- Straight Ahead," a light swing tune anchored in a walking bass line. The performance was somewhat weakened by the absence of mentor Dave Keim. Shorewood High was also without its mentor, but the band compensated with solos on the guitar, trumpet and saxophone that were way above high school level.

The most beautiful rendition of the evening found the Kentridge High School Jazz Band providing a lush backdrop for mentor/saxophonist Darren Motamedy's reading of Quincy Jones' "Quintessence." Equally lovely was the sweet, swinging sound of the Roosevelt High School Band, with mentor Thomas Marriot's trumpet blowing lightly against the reeds.

Several of the mentors, including Michael Brockton (Newport) and Travis Ranney (Garfield), also hold chairs in the Seattle Jazz Repertory Orchestra. Ranney did all the soloing on "Lester Leaps In," with the Garfield band giving him ace rhythmic support. Newport boasted one of the evening's largest ensembles, and Brockton presided with a sensitive ear toward each musician's contribution.

Tacoma's Stadium High School Jazz Band was the best-dressed group of the night, with a full-on safari through Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia " as sharp as the formal wear. The Woodway High School Jazz Band from Edmonds sported the best hairstyles, not to mention a near-perfect balance between the brass and reed sections.

The concert also featured performances from the Mercer Island and North Thurston high school jazz bands. The one school that was part of the project but did not appear was Inglemoor High.