Bally Mackellar Jazz Night a Huge Success!
Last Monday, ensembles from the Bally Jazz Program performed to a packed house at the Bally Mackellar Jazz Night. This is the second Year of our collaboration, which will hopefully turn into a long-running tradition!
Our Stage Band opened the night with Freddie Green’s ‘Until I Met You’ and Larry Neeck’s ‘Big Band Boogie’, with ripping solos from Finn Walker (Year 9 ) and Mack Barker (Year 9).
Our Junior Improvisation Ensemble blew the crowd away with their rendition of Eddie Harris’ ‘Cold Duck Time’ and Elvis Presley’s ‘Jailhouse Rock’, featuring Taiyo Marchand (Year 7) as a vocalist.
Our Saxophone Ensemble played the Ellington classic ‘C Jam Blues’, featuring solos from Tristan Jorgensen (Year 10), Austin Holley (Year 10), Arkie Thomas (Year 10), Tom Vogel (Year 10) and Patty Day (Year 10) on the P&C funded Baritone Saxophone.
Senior Improvisation gave great renditions of ‘Summertime’ and ‘Song For My Father’, including improvisations from all members of the ensemble.
Our Jazz Orchestra rounded out the evening with tight renditions of Weist’s ‘The Groove’, with a solo from Patty Day (Year 10), as well as Prince’s ‘Thieves in the Temple’, featuring solos by Arkie Thomas (Year 10) and Lode Lievens (Year 8).
We are so proud of how the Bally boys performed after such a time between concerts. A huge thank you is due to Caleb Miller and Julian McKay for their conducting of the ensembles, as well as to Ms Eva Stokes for her organisation of the evening.
