The North Battleford Comprehensive High School Jazz Band, under the direction of Jackie Kroczynski, took part in a workshop with renowned Canadian jazz educator Gordon Foote Oct. 12, at the University of Saskatchewan.
Foote started by rehearsing the rhythm section and getting the piano, bass and drums working together to support the rest of the band, before requiring the horn players to focus on their articulation and dynamics so they could increase the emotional impact of their playing.
The band also listened to a talk by Foote, part of the Fine Arts Research Lecture Series. He spoke on the importance of including, in any music program, instruction on improvisation, what he believes is an essential part of the skill set of the 21st century musician.
Foote, a professor at the University of Toronto, was in Saskatoon as part of the artist in residence series hosted by the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra. The grand finale of his time in Saskatchewan was a concert at the Broadway Theatre Oct. 13. The Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Foote, performed an assortment of tunes written and arranged for big band by various Canadian composers and bandleaders. The concert notably featured two NBCHS alumni, Paul Suchan and Connor Newton.
The NBCHS Jazz Band will join the SJO as special guests in a concert at the Dekker Centre on Dec. 13th as part of the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra’s Christmas tour. Tickets are available at the Dekker Centre box office.
