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Essentially Ellington Alumni's Interests
General
Jazz at Lincoln Center, big band orchestras, jazz, swing, blues, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. Need we say Duke?
Music
Jazz, jazz, and more jazz!
Movies
Anatomy of A Murder, Check and Double Check, and Paris Blues.
And CHOPS! A new documentary film featuring Essentially Ellington. Check out the trailer:
Books
Music is My Mistress, Lush Life, Treat It Gentle, The Jazz Life, anything by Wynton Marsalis.
Heroes
Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Freddy Jenkins, Sonny Greer, Juan Tizol, Barney Bigard, Cootie Williams, Johnny Hodges, Bubber Miley, Joe Nanton, Billy Strayhorn, Cat Anderson, Joya Sherrill, Ivie Anderson, Sam Woodyard...
Critics have their purposes, and they're supposed to do what they do, but sometimes they get a little carried away with what they think someone should have done, rather than concerning themselves with what they did.... Duke Ellington
For the record, this is not an attack on the quality of your jazz bands. Your B band is obviously a good band if they managed to get in. I applaud the quality of your music program, getting in 4 years in a row, and getting an honorable mention is an awesome achievement, and sending two bands IS very impressive.
I do know how much work this competition takes, and i am not making fun of anyone in your B band, because i'm sure they all worked hard, and they deserve to go.
That said, all i am saying is that I disagree with the thought of sending 2 bands from one school to this competition. Obviously your B band is good enough to go, but i disagree with the very foundation and reasoning of it. The fact of the matter is, your students will continue to have the opportunity to go, because your A band will continue to go. This competition is designed to spread jazz education, and give schools the opportunity to enrich their program, and share in the experience. IN MY OPINION, sending 2 bands compromises the mission of this competition, even if you're "good enough" or "deserve to go".
You now KNOW you're capable of sending two bands, so instead of weilding your power wrongly, have some humility, acknowledge the fact that you're good enough, but step aside and let a new school have the experience.
Our jazz program is very professional thank you very much. And who are you to judge, mr. jazz expert? Who are you anyways? Don't talk shit when the B band scores higher than you. Are you from Calabasas or something? Please, they deserve it, and you're highly unprofessional for thinking otherwise. A good band is a good band, end of story. I'm sorry you can't see past that fact, maybe because your band didn't make it. Good luck.
I think agoura deserves it... don't judge until you've heard them. Obviously they deserve to be there if the judges allowed both of them in. Stop complaining and enjoy yourself. It's supposed to be fun, remember? Don't lose sight of the important part.
