Top jazz musician ‘shakes the room’ with SCD Jazz Band
St Clement Danes School Jazz Band were treated to a masterclass by one of the UK’s leading jazz musicians in a stimulating hour-long jamming session.
Band leader and musician Pete Long divides his time between directing the Big Band at the famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, live performances and educating young musicians on what it takes to play professionally.
Students learned breathing and warm-up techniques and how to get the best sounds from their instruments before refining their big band sound with a final performance in front of staff and students. The young performers rose to the challenge by giving improvised solos when directed to do so by Mr Long.
Year 13 student Simon Mulligan said: “That was brilliant! It’s given me a change of attitude to how I should play the trumpet which will hopefully help me develop as a player.”
Mr Long plays a variety of instrument including saxophone, flute, bass guitar, trumpet, oboe and clarinet. He has performed in front of President Clinton and has worked with Tom Jones, Lionel Richie and Lulu and produced arrangements for Sir Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde and Texas.
During the course of the class, the Jazz Band sound was transformed as Mr Long encouraged them to “shake the room.”
Music teacher Elizabeth Bennett said: “It was amazing to hear the transformation in the Jazz Band. You could see each section growing in confidence and they sounded so much more professional by the end.”
Afterwards, Mr Long said: “I really liked the attitude of the students. They were willing to have a go and there was a huge improvement. I’m also impressed that you have enough players to make up a jazz band. That reflects really well on the Music Department.”
St Clement Danes School secured Mr Long’s services after June Mitchell, the parent of a student, won an hour’s saxophone lesson with him in a raffle. She asked if he would convert the lesson into a masterclass for the school instead.
Main pic: Year 13 student Alastair Ryall takes bass tips from Pete Long.
Inset: Rowan Thomas plays solo sax for Peter