Note: Each month, KPLU invites a teen guest DJ to play his or her favorite pieces on the air. The program is part of KPLU's School of Jazz.
Lynnwood High's Kaelyn Nicole Stanton is KPLU's guest DJ for the month of December. To get to know her better, we asked 16-year-old Kaelyn to answer a few questions about jazz:
Which instrument do you play and why?
I play the trumpet because I fell in love with the way it sounds. Trumpets are so bold, full, and have such a wide range; from screamin' high notes to powerful, bellowing low notes.
Trumpet has a sort of recognizable character that a lot of instruments don't have. There's so many techniques trumpet players can use to alter their sound. I understand that all instruments have their own sort of flair, but there's something about the way a trumpet is played that excites me.
What's your all-time favorite jazz piece?
My all-time favorite jazz piece is probably Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade". I can't help but smile and sway to this song. The vibrato in the sax section makes me feel so light, and their tone as a section is so rich. The band knows how to really put that feeling of romance into this song, which is the way I think Miller intended it to.
Who is your jazz hero?
My jazz hero is Frank Sinatra. The man could take a song and stylistically and rhythmically do things with it that no one else could do. His range, tone, and interpretations of style are incomparable. All of his songs were considered classics and he was such an icon while he was alive, and still lives on today.
He's got a very rich, full tone. His lyrics are well put together; every one of his songs are just so beautiful and memorable.
Why jazz?
Jazz is a freeing kind of music. It can range from slow and legato to upbeat and lively. It's amazing how many variations there are to jazz, also.
There's an exhilarating feeling that comes with playing and listening to jazz that a lot of other music styles cannot deliver as efficiently. I feel like this particular style of music gives off so much energy for everyone that is listening to it. Jazz stirs emotions of all kinds, in the mind and in the heart and in the soul. Its influence extends worldwide, touching and enriching all related forms of music. It is a vibrant art form that deserves a special place in our culture.
Playlist
1. "Chameleon" (Maynard Ferguson)
2. "Peanut Brittle Brigade" (Duke Ellington)
3. "All of Me" (Billie Holiday)
4. "Stutter" (EMEFE)
5. "Sing, Sang, Sung" (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band)
6. "Hide and Seek" (Joshua Redman)
7. "Never Say Yes" (Cannonball Adderely and Nancy Wilson)
8. "This Love of Mine" (Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, with Frank Sinatra)
9. "Summertime" (Art Pepper)
10. "Makin' Whoopie" (Count Basie)
11."Cherokee" (Clifford Brown)
