The Jazz Band concert presented by El Camino College’s Center for the Arts on May 25 was entertaining and received a lot of attention from the audience as well as the staff.

As soon as I walked in the Marsee Auditorium, I saw that the mood was more casual and different from what I had anticipated for the jazz event.

This jazz event appeared to be quite laid-back and comfortable, with the majority of the attendees dressed in jeans and t-shirts.

The musicians, on the other hand, were dressed in suits, which I personally found odd.

From young children to elder musicians, the Jazz Band had a decent mix of people, along with a very equitable mix of various cultures.

The band’s rhythm and tone were smooth and blended well together, creating the impression of a cool jazz approach.

As I looked across the audience during the event, I noticed individuals bobbing their heads and tapping their feet. Going to a jazz concert gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in a new milieu, and I liked how relaxed and unpretentious the musical environment was.

David Moyer, the band instructor, notified the audience that some of the musicians were not able to play tonight due to illness, and new musicians had to fill in. Even so, he said the new musicians who filled in easily adjusted to the band’s performing methods.

The solos that were played by the musicians on the trumpets, trombones and saxophones did a tremendous job by playing their solo with enthusiasm.

All of the features that other musicians had were terrific, and each musician had a good melody, harmony, rhythm and improvisation which were all present.

The melodies each soloist of the band played were more memorable than the jazz songs, as the members who were not playing the solo accompanied quietly in the background.

The melody then returns at the end of the song with each member of the Jazz Band. The improvisation was what made each jazz tune unique each time it was performed.

This was my first jazz concert in over 10 years and it was exciting and a good experience. My favorite song that the band played was “Don’t Be That Way” by Benny Goodman & Edgar Sampson, arranged by Bob Brookmeyer.

Besides my favorite song that’s been played, all the other songs performed very well with style.

The band was really exciting to see because of their solos, witnessing the communication with their fellow musicians during breaks when the instructor talked to the audience before each song, as well as how each musician in the band had a part and participated in at least every other song.

What made me understand the true meaning of each song was Moyer explaining to the audience the backstory of each performance, such as who made the song and the status of the artist in the present, along with a brief history of the musician’s music career.

Overall, as far as the performance goes, I was entertained and blown away by how well a community college jazz band can do.

Editor’s Note: Updated story to correct photo caption and add proper writer byline on May 26, 2022, at 10:04 a.m.