Oswego is Swingin’!!!

Nationally, April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Around Oswego though, we celebrate a little earlier. The top jazz band recorded their application CD for the Essentially Ellington competition in New York. You can listen to our recordings in the Performances link of the Jazz page.

Next, the top jazz band participated in the NIU JazzDay, where schools from all over Illinois, Wisconsin, and Iowa come to receive a clinic by NIU professors, see the acclaimed NIU Jazz Ensemble play, and see masterclasses on their individual instruments. Our band played very well and received feedback on some tunes we will be playing at contest later this month. A couple individuals received some serious honors, as senior trombonist Justin Smith received an Outstanding Soloist award, and saxologist Maddie Vogler received a scholarship to come for Combo Day, where some of the best individuals from all over the Midwest come to jam with coaching by the NIU staff.

Justin Smith

Maddie Vogler

The next day, we hosted our annual JazzFest here at the OHS Auditorium. There were 9 bands that attended, including our two, Oswego East, Traughber and Thompson, 2 from Yorkville, Plainfield East, and Gwendolyn Brooks MS from Harvey. Our clinicians were trumpeter/bandleader Ian Torres and guitarist Don Tisch. Each band performed and received a clinic from both artists, and at the end, they sat in with OHS on a song to the delight of the crowd. For pictures of JazzFest, click here.

Ian Torres and Don Tisch work with Thompson MS