In this KNKX School of Jazz studio session, six talented students from the Seattle JazzED program showed how much there is to be gained from jazz education.
After all, Seattle JazzED is a jazz education nonprofit focused on helping students express themselves through music, while making sure access to music education is available to all.
This JazzED band had the accomplished bass player, composer, arranger, producer and musician advocate Nate Omdal as their mentor. He teaches the Jazz Lab class at JazzED, where the students in this group first met.
Omdal grew up in Sequim, Washington. He was inspired to get into bass after watching Seattle-area high school jazz bands dominate the Essentially Ellington competition in New York in the '90s.
Omdal is enthusiastic about his mentees.
“These kids can play,” he said. “They’re about ready to jump off into the deep end of the pool!”
The band’s younger members included Alex Love on trombone, Caleb Martin on alto saxophone and Miles Raskin at the piano. All three showed impressive skills. They also spoke enthusiastically about a recent video collaboration they did with UNESCO’s Jazz Day Relay recording of “April in Jerusalem,” which highlighted global unity through music.
Senior trumpeter Ollie Higdon also lent his vocals to the band’s performance of “Fly Me to the Moon." His section mate, trumpeter Maya Le, will be entering her senior year in the fall. Following high school, Le's interested in the business side of music.
"Whether that's studio recording or copyrights or... bringing people together with music," she said.
UW graduate student Devon Rafanelli, who played drums, is an intern at Seattle JazzED.
“These people are so cool,” she said. “They know what they’re doing, and I learn so much from just watching these students learn.”
Jazz standards were the focus for the ensemble, leading with the classic “Freddie Freeloader” from Miles Davis. Their rendition featured a masterful sax solo from Martin and a swinging trombone solo from Love.
On “Blue Bossa” by Kenny Dorham, the band was engaged with their bandmates and comfortable with their own musical perspectives.
“We’re encountering opportunities as they come, whether that’s in a recording studio, a big fundraiser in a fancy building… it’s all the same kind of music, and we know what we can do," Omdal said of his group.
The JazzED Jazz Lab band did it with style in the KNKX studios. Hear for yourself.
Musicians:
- Caleb Martin-sax
- Alex Love-trombone
- Maya Le-trumpet
- Ollie Higdon-trumpet/vocals
- Miles Raskin-piano
- Devon Rafanelli-drums (intern)
- Nate Omdal-bass (mentor)
Songs:
- Freddie Freeloader (Miles Davis)
- Blue Bossa (Kenny Dorham)
- Fly Me to the Moon (Bart Howard)
