To put it mildly, it could be said that the Branson School system’s jazz bands hit the Drury Jazz Festival with a bang. Or, to use the words of John Kerley, Director of Bands for the Branson School District, “That is with a Swingin’ Bang!”
Both the junior high and high school jazz programs competed in the 42nd Drury Jazz Festival on March 8 at Drury University in Springfield. The prestigious festival is a competitive event during which the jazz bands perform in a 25 minute performance slot and are judged and receive comments from some of the region’s most accomplished jazz musicians and educators. For each of the competitive divisions, there was a first, second, third place and an outstanding soloist award. Although band may also choose to perform for comments only, Branson’s bands also competed.
Kerley points out that the interest in the Branson Jazz program is so great that there are multiple bands at both the junior high and high school levels. At both the levels of competition at the Jazz Festival, Branson’s jazz bands won multiple awards.
In the Junior High Division Branson took three out of the first four places. The Branson Thursday Night Jazz Band won second place, the Branson Tuesday Night Jazz Band took third place , and Branson Monday Night Jazz Band took fourth place.
Branson’s High School bands won multiple band and individual awards. In the Jazz Combo Division, Branson Bands took the first four places and won the soloist award for the division. The Branson 2 O’clock Combo won first place and Seth Darby, Bass, won the Soloist Award with Branson’s Pacific I, Coffee House, and Pacific II Combos winning second, third, and fourth place respectively. In the 2nd Band Division Branson’s Coffee House Jazz Band won first place and Alex Sousan, guitar, won the Soloist Award.
In the Class 4A Division Branson won the first three places. The Branson 2 O’clock Big Band won first place with the North County Big Band winning second place and the Pacific Jazz Band Winning third place.
Assistant Band Directors Josh Hurt and Russell Lee direct the Monday Night Jazz Band, both Kerley and Lee direct the Thursday Night Jazz Band and Kerley directs the Tuesday Night Jazz Band, 2 O’clock Big Band, Coffee House Jazz Band, 2 O’clock Combo, and Coffee House Combo.
When asked how he felt about the competitive results Kerley said, “Yes, it is fun to compete for placements and awards but it doesn’t mean as much as having a student tell me that this was so much fun.” He went on to say that it’s all about the music and the students and concluded by saying, “I am just fortunate and blessed to be a part of this with them.”
Furnished Courtesy of the Branson Daily Independent.
