Alanna Larson begins her Junior year as the drummer in Mercer Island High School's Jazz Band 1. She'll be the backbone of the school's top band, and Larson shares her top jazz songs as the KNKX School of Jazz guest DJ for September.
This back-to-school episode features a wide variety of musical styles, eras and tempos. Larson's a versatile drummer, and she took first place in this year's Washington State Solo and Ensemble contest in the Multiple Percussion category.
"The instrumentation was really interesting," Larson explained, "two sets of bongos, three toms and a few metal bowls!"
Larson's playlist ranges from modern singing stars Samara Joy and (also bassist) Esperanza Spalding to the sax/tuba/two drummer group Sons of Kemet. She also features classics from Cannonball Adderley and Oscar Peterson, and one of the legends of jazz drumming, Art Blakey.
"As a drummer this song is really inspirational to me, and I'm definitely going to try to copy at least a few of the licks and solos," Larson said.
At just sixteen years old, Larson has the confidence required of a big band drummer. She's also busy working with smaller ensembles like the Music in the Community Club. "It's just been really valuable for my playing and for other people to just hear us," Larson shared. "I think it's a really awesome experience for everyone involved."
Enjoy School of Jazz guest DJ Alanna Larson's show and be sure to keep an eye on this promising young artist from Mercer Island, her future is bright.
Which instrument do you play and why?
I play drumkit, marching snare, and classical percussion. I think drumkit, especially, is an incredibly fun and dynamic instrument. I also love how complex it can be to play, especially in jazzier genres.
I decided that I wanted to play drums when I was around seven years old, and I saw my high school drumline perform during a halftime show. I remember being completely awestruck by their performance, and from that moment on I was completely hooked on the idea of playing drums.
I couldn’t imagine myself playing anything else. Once I entered my school’s band program as a percussionist, I started to learn how to play drumkit and I joined my school’s jazz band. Even though I started to learn jazz during the pandemic, I grew to love the connection and excitement of the genre.
What's your all-time favorite jazz piece?
Although it’s not traditional straight-ahead jazz, I absolutely love the song "Magalenha" by Sergio Mendes. I am really drawn to the song’s Brazilian samba feel, especially because it includes an impressive percussion ensemble.
As a percussionist, I can definitely appreciate a good percussion section. I also really appreciate the compelling, explosive energy in the recording because it seems obvious that all of the musicians on the track enjoy recording this song, which makes me enjoy it as well. I saw Sergio Mendes at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley about a year ago, and I was just as impressed by the live version of the song and the quality of the musicians.
I also enjoy the song "The Drum Thunder Suite" by Art Blakey because it prominently features the drums and it’s loud, energetic, and fast. I had never before heard a jazz song where the drums are the focal point, so it was super exciting to listen to as a drummer.
Who is your jazz hero?
I think that both Esperanza Spalding’s music and her career are very impressive and inspirational. She came from a single-parent home, became a professor at Berklee College of Music at a very young age, has performed at the White House, and has won multiple Grammys. I also really enjoy her music, which covers a wide variety of styles and is always engaging and impressive. I also look up to her because she is a successful woman in jazz, which is inspirational to me as a young woman.
I am also inspired by the drummer Nate Smith, who has a number of videos where he shows off both his skill as a drummer and his humor. He also has an album called Pocket Change, and its songs only feature drums. All of the songs on this album are both impressive and fun to listen to, and I have never thought that these songs were missing anything even though they don’t have any accompaniment. They are just drums and they’re amazing.
Why jazz?
I think that I was drawn to jazz specifically because of the exciting onstage interaction between the musicians and the audience that doesn't happen in other genres of music. Jazz requires communication, which means that every moment where a unique collaboration happens is interesting and special, like a little gem that everyone involved in the performance shares.
Jazz also has a freer and looser energy than most other forms of instrumental music, which makes playing and listening to it a casual and enjoyable experience. It is also an incredibly versatile genre, with a large number of sub-genres, so it has something for every person to enjoy.
Alanna's playlist:
- "Magalenha" Sergio Mendes
- "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" Cannonball Adderley
- "Everything Happens to Me" Samara Joy
- "My Queen is Albertina Sisulu" Sons of Kemet
- "Gooey Butter Cake" Jun Iida
- "The Girl from Ipanema" Oscar Peterson Trio
- "I Know You Know" Esperanza Spalding
- "Strasbourg/St. Denis" Roy Hargrove
- "The Drum Thunder Suite" Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers
