The Jazz Evening, held this year on Thursday 26 March, is one of the highlights of the musical year at Marlborough, showcasing the various jazz groups and ensembles. The Marlburian is transformed into Marlborough’s version of Ronnie Scott’s for the evening, complete with mood lighting and refreshments allowing for a relaxed atmosphere and close proximity to the performers – quite different from the usual and more formal concerts in the Memorial Hall.
The evening opened with Big Band, under the leadership of Alex Arkwright, playing True Blue with several worthy solo contributions including from Finn B on alto sax, Faith S on tenor sax, and Ollie P, a new member of Big Band this year, on electric guitar adding a contemporary edge to the rich and resonant brass sound. They followed this with Groove Walk, a punchy number with Blues Brothers vibes, again with a number of fine solos notably from Aarin T on drums, Jack M on trumpet and Ben T-S on the baritone sax. The final piece in this set provided a jazz funk sound with the Average White Band’s instrumental Pick Up the Pieces. Recognisable for the saxophone and horn lines it also gave Otis R-H and Ben W a chance to demonstrate their impressive skills on trombone and bass guitar respectively.
The second set featured the Saxophone Ensemble, who prefer to be known as Sax Squad! Under the conductorship of Chris Gibbon, they slowed the pace with Sax Sonic, a melodic and atmospheric piece followed by All In Good Time where the delicate and intricate timing required was mastered beautifully, this time featuring solos from Finn B and Sophie M.
We were then treated to two numbers from the Jazz Ensemble, again masterfully conducted by Chris Gibbon. Their first number Curacao Blue, with a rhythmic Latin vibe, saw Raff B-F play a superb solo on tenor sax and Ollie T a solid drum solo. This was followed by an outstanding performance of Feeling Good, a number covered by many artists from many genres over the years, with a strong, confident and emotive vocal performance provided by the very talented Jas P. There is clearly a wealth of junior talent in the Jazz Ensemble which bodes well for the future of Big Band.
The finale saw Big Band return to the stage with a fantastic final set, kicking off with Sir Duke by the great Stevie Wonder, showcasing Ava K playing the vocal line on tenor sax and Jack M on trumpet. This was followed by a much-loved old favourite Birdland by which time all feet in the house were firmly tapping, with more excellent solos played including by Jemima C on trumpet. We then moved into the 21st Century playing homage to Amy Winehouse with Valerie featuring the deep rich voice of Millie A on vocals. The final number saw Alex Arkwright join in on lead trumpet for The Homecoming Song by South African composer Abdullah Ibrahim a number that blends African rhythms with a jazz vibe. The audience would have happily welcomed an encore or two and the band, who were thoroughly enjoying themselves, would willingly have played on for longer, but all good things must come to an end!
It was a fantastic evening enjoyed by the musicians and audience alike. A fitting final Jazz Evening for the Upper Sixth contingent of Ben T-S, Faith S, Otis R-H, Brett N, Ollie P, Harry B, Jas P and Millie A, some of whom were taking part in their fifth Jazz Evening. But the final mention must go to Alex Arkwright, as this was his final Jazz Evening after over 25 years of organising and hosting the event. He has been an incredible inspiration to so many pupils (including my son), always encouraging them and giving them opportunities to build their confidence and reach their full potential, introducing them to music they would not necessarily choose to listen to and above all making it all so much fun for them.
Review by Mim Tarrant-Smith (Parent)
