Live from Salt Lake City, it's Friday Night!
Saturday Night Live musical director Lenny Pickett will join American Fork's Crescent Super Band tonight for a benefit concert that will help fund the 2008-09 SLC Jazz concert season.
The Crescent Super Band, a jazz ensemble of 21 high-school students, isn't your average high-school band. The band based out of American Fork's The Music School is considered one of the best high-school-age jazz ensembles in the nation, judging from its Best of State awards and international tours.
Those accolades, as well as hearing the band, impressed Pickett, who teaches jazz classes at New York University. “Jazz is music learned through experience," Pickett said. “If you live in an environment with a lot of jazz, students learn through osmosis."
Super Band director Caleb Chapman attributes some of the band's acumen to regularly playing alongside jazz musicians, like Pickett, who accept invitations to teach and mentor at the American Fork school. Since the band's inception in 2001, the band has performed with more than 100 guest artists with a combined 28 Grammy Awards, including Rashawn Ross of the Dave Matthews Band, and Chick Corea Elektric Band saxophonist Eric Marienthal, who also will perform with the band tonight.
Jacob Veloo, 18, of Sandy, plays lead tenor saxophone in the Super Band. “I'm always playing with some of my heroes," said Veloo, who plans to take a year off and then attend the acclaimed Berklee College of Music. “They're insane players."
The Crescent Super Band, with special guests Lenny Pickett and Eric Marienthal, performs tonight at 7:30 at Kingsbury Hall, 1395 E. Presidents Circle, on the University of Utah campus.
Saturday Night Live musical director Lenny Pickett will join American Fork's Crescent Super Band tonight for a benefit concert that will help fund the 2008-09 SLC Jazz concert season.
The Crescent Super Band, a jazz ensemble of 21 high-school students, isn't your average high-school band. The band based out of American Fork's The Music School is considered one of the best high-school-age jazz ensembles in the nation, judging from its Best of State awards and international tours.
Those accolades, as well as hearing the band, impressed Pickett, who teaches jazz classes at New York University. “Jazz is music learned through experience," Pickett said. “If you live in an environment with a lot of jazz, students learn through osmosis."
Super Band director Caleb Chapman attributes some of the band's acumen to regularly playing alongside jazz musicians, like Pickett, who accept invitations to teach and mentor at the American Fork school. Since the band's inception in 2001, the band has performed with more than 100 guest artists with a combined 28 Grammy Awards, including Rashawn Ross of the Dave Matthews Band, and Chick Corea Elektric Band saxophonist Eric Marienthal, who also will perform with the band tonight.
Jacob Veloo, 18, of Sandy, plays lead tenor saxophone in the Super Band. “I'm always playing with some of my heroes," said Veloo, who plans to take a year off and then attend the acclaimed Berklee College of Music. “They're insane players."
The Crescent Super Band, with special guests Lenny Pickett and Eric Marienthal, performs tonight at 7:30 at Kingsbury Hall, 1395 E. Presidents Circle, on the University of Utah campus.
Tickets are $50 by calling 801-581-7100 or by going online at www.kingsburyhall.org.
2008-09 Jazz SLC Lineup
Sept. 22: Eliane Elias
Oct. 13: Michel Camilo
Oct. 27: John Clayton Quartet
Nov. 10: Karrin Allyson
Dec. 1: Jeff Hamilton Trio
Jan. 19: Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band
Feb. 2: Stacey Kent
Mar. 16: Dee Dee Bridgewater
Apr. 6: Alexander-Clayton-Hamilton
Apr. 27: John Scofield Quartet
Season tickets are available by calling 801-278-0235. Single-show tickets will be available July 1 at 24Tix.com; adults, $25, students $15.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
