Two musicians from the Chinook Middle School jazz band in Bellevue are the KNKX School of Jazz guest DJs this week. Saxophonist Rohan Pillai and bass player A.J. Jandhyala had a few nerves, natural for 8th graders, but soon warmed to the task at hand.
The pair said that's how it works on stage, too. There are moments of anxiety before they launch into solos, but it's all cool once they start playing.
The budding jazz fans pack their hour-long show with hits like "Take Five" from Dave Brubeck and "So What" from Miles Davis. Megan Magnum is the jazz band director at Chinook Middle School and has filled these two young musicians with a passion for the music and tradition of jazz, even as they're still learning.
Jandhyala talked about his love for studying music theory, and Pillai followed by praising his bass solos. In turn, Pillai spoke excitedly about the "swagger" of saxophone icon John Coltrane. Jandhyala added that Pillai has some swagger of his own on the bandstand.
These two young musicians and fans needed their parents to drive them to the KNKX studios, but both Pillai and Jandhyala are mature beyond their years when it comes to jazz. Enjoy the show!
Which instrument do you play and why?
Rohan: Saxophone and I chose it because when we were trying out the instruments in band. Saxophone was easy to get a sound out of, and because only 10% of the band could be saxophone, I thought I might as well enter the lottery. And if I get in— I get in. And if I don’t, then I could get percussion, which was my second choice.
A.J.: I play the bass because it is huge and awesome.
What’s your all-time favorite jazz piece?
Rohan: "Brooklyn" by Youngblood Brass Band or "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone. I also love "Peanut Butter Monster Jam" by Peter Daniel.
A.J.: "Giant Steps" by John Coltrane.
Who is your jazz hero?
Rohan: Probably Nat McIntosh, the leader of the Youngblood Brass Band. I like him because he plays sousaphone, which is not a typical jazz instrument, but the way Nat makes it fit in so well with regular jazz while also standing out in a way that’s very cool. This is very inspiring to me because even though I play a typical jazz instrument, I like to see how I could incorporate very non-jazz sounds into jazz solos and make them sound cool; that seems really interesting to me.
A.J.: Bass player Paul Chambers. He is in so many of my favorite songs.
Why jazz?
Rohan: I think of music as an all-you-can-eat buffet and jazz as the make-your-own omelet section, which is why I like it so much because I could change everything to fit what I want to do as long as it is still an omelet and tastes good for me which is special about jazz for me.
A.J.: I like jazz simply because it sounds pleasant. Nothing complicated. I love playing jazz because I can put my own creativity into my solos.
Rohan & A.J.'s playlist:
- "Giant Steps" John Coltrane
- "Brooklyn" Youngblood Brass Band
- "Feeling Good" Nina Simone
- "Oh, Lady Be Good" Count Basie with Lester Young
- "Norwegian Wood" Buddy Rich Big Band
- "Take Five" Dave Brubeck
- "Miles Around" Peter Daniel
- "So What" Miles Davis
