Alaska’s young, elite jazz musicians shine with visiting pros at the third annual Valley Jazz Festival

PALMER— Last weekend was the third annual Valley Jazz Festival. Twenty-two middle school and high school jazz ensembles from across the state spent two days at Palmer High School immersed in musical clinics and rehearsals with professional jazz musicians. The students worked on their skills, learned new techniques and showcased their talents on stage, playing multiple concerts.

“We get the credit for it, but it’s really the kids and the band directors here,” said visiting jazz musician Troy Anderson. “They’re a credit to their programs,”

According to PHS music teacher and event coordinator, Barbara Carroll, this festival brings the best of Alaska’s young jazz talent together in a rare, golden opportunity to polish their skills with professionals. She said that all the ensembles that participated — honors and otherwise — auditioned to join their jazz groups.

“They’re the elite,” Carroll said.

Conn-Selmer, Inc. is an American manufacturer of musical instruments for concert bands, marching bands and orchestras. Conn-Selmer is a major sponsor for the event and actually helped Carroll access their list of licensed musicians. She thumbed through a catalogue and picked some her “idols.” Eleven professional jazz musicians came up from the lower 48 to lead musical workshops with the students.

On Saturday, the last day of the festival, the pros took to the stage for the finale concert after Alaska’s honor bands performed. Towards the end, some of the children got on the stage and played with the adults in harmony, met with thunderous applause and high praise. Musicians, Anderson and George Rousseau were very impressed with Alaska’s young jazz talent and Carroll’s dedication and coordinating skills, packing the most she could into this festival.

“I would love for the other teachers that we work with to experience this [Jazz Festival]. This is a really great set-up. This was a really well organized, well run group,” Rousseau said.

When describing the two days jam packed with musical clinics and rehearsals, they used words like “wild” and “whirlwind.”

“It was so fast paced, but it was great,” Anderson said. “The kids were wonderful.”

Anderson led assorted trombone clinics, including an improv class, which he said threw some of the students off at first but they all had fun loosening up. Rousseau plays multiple instruments and he taught two different drum clinics and a guitar clinic with the young jazz musicians.

“It’s what we love to do,” Rousseau said.

The Houston Middle School (HMS) jazz band participated this year, making it to all three events since the beginning. Two students, Angel and Katie were in jazz band the first year HMS added it to the curriculum, according to Carroll, a close friend of HMS music instructor, Lindsay Jiminez. The two young jazz students have also performed at all three Valley Jazz Festivals. They’re in their third year and according to Carroll, they’re still uncovering new ways to play.

“It’s just like math, there’s different equations to get same answer,” Angel said.

When Houston Jazz band started, it wasn’t a traditional Jazz band, according to Carroll. They began with instruments and experience with more classical styles.

“It was a group of kiddos who wanted to learn the jazz style. They had flutes, they had clarinets, there were some weird instruments. They’ve all switched to a traditional jazz instrument,” Carroll said.

Angel and Katie both switched to traditional jazz instruments. Most of the HMS students agreed that jazz was a more open genre than their previous experience.

“I believe it’s open minded, and there’s a lot less thinking involved because it’s just what you feel,” Katie said.

Rousseau said that these students were lucky to have such dedicated instructors and the opportunity to play with seasoned jazz veterans.

“The honors — they have sent us some wonderful, beautiful musicians,” Rousseau said. “You don’t get those opportunities a lot, and was here in Palmer, Alaska.”

Going with the flow and making mistakes seem intentional- these are some of the cornerstones of jazz, according to Angel.

“A wrong note in jazz band isn’t a wrong note. Also, if you think about it, you’re doing it wrong,” Angel said.

Carroll said that a mistake in jazz is called a “decoration.”