Jazz Band

By Darien Walsh

After almost two years of going without, some dedicated music students are resurrecting the Waldorf Jazz Band.

Taught by Dr. Glen Wegge, Associate Professor of Music, the 12 member jazz band rehearses for two hours two nights every week. Wegge played professionally on the East Coast on the Tenor Saxophone for 12 years, and studied under many profound musicians including a Pulitzer Prize winner, a five time Grammy Award winner, and a Presidential Award winner. Because of his extensive background in jazz, Wegge was asked to teach the students interested in forming a jazz band.

“I want to be at a level at which someone would listen and say ‘that’s pretty good jazz,'” said Dr. Wegge, “I want to be at a level of professionalism that people will appreciate as good music.”

The jazz band started rehearsals earlier this month and is already making a lot of progress on their songs. Solos are being figured out and the tunes are coming together. Currently, the band is working on standard jazz charts, but will soon be adding some Rock, Afro Cuban, Latin and singing tunes to their playlist.

“Jazz is different than any other style of music in that a person can express themselves in a way that’s different than classical music,” Wegge said, “The rhythms used are different; classical soloists just play what’s written. In jazz, solos can be made up. Anything bad inside of you just gets let out during a solo.”

While the students interested in participating in a jazz band do it for fun, musicians want to perform for an audience, and therefore the hope for the Waldorf Jazz Band is to perform at the college in a recital, or a in concert for parents and the community.