By Marisela Flores
November 21, 2019
The Centennial jazz band played soothing music as folks enjoyed their dinner and dessert. November 15th was the annual dinner and jazz at Centennial High School which is a 2 hour long event in which the jazz kids get to enjoy playing for an audience and the audience gets to enjoy jazz music as they eat.
A week prior to the dinner and jazz tickets were being sold by other band kids or you can go in and buy tickets in the band room. All the money collected goes into the band funds so they can continue to buy sheet music to have more concerts and to buy equipment to make them even better.
Roman Maya, pianist of the jazz band, said “It’s a fun event that brings people together”. All the students who participated in dinner and jazz seemed to have enjoyed themselves greatly, the night was full of smiles and swaying to the music as they played.
“Jazz is an interest of mine and I enjoy helping any way possible”, said James Mobley, drummer of the band. The musicians on the stage were all so passionate when playing that the music felt like it had more emotions.
That night all of the middle tables and some of the side tables were full, which shows that a decent amount of people went. “I do think there was a good attendance this year”, said Mobley, “We can definitely do better but it was an improvement from last year.”
“I haven’t seen any jazz restaurants before here in pueblo, and I don’t believe many others have either”, said Maya. “We aren’t the most professional musicians ever, but I like the feeling that dinner and jazz has”.
Dinner and jazz is a relaxing time where the musicians and audience both get to just enjoy the time. As the band plays there are other band members working as waiters, they would pick up plates, sell desserts, and fill cups up so they were walking around a lot during the whole performance.
As musicians usually are, the band stays focused but can’t avoid the pre-show jitters, “I do not get distracted by the audience, but I do get nervous before the performance”, said Mobley.
Both Maya and Mobley, said that if they do ever mess up or get off track they don’t react, they improvise or “go with the flow” until they have found their place again. Jazz music is very relaxing and it is good that you play whatever you feel.
Maya and Mobley agreed that the best part of the whole show was the b-flat blues at the end of the show. During this the musicians get to do a little solo and compete against each other for fun and show off their skills individually.
Each member of the band got their chance to have more fun with what they were playing, that includes Maya and Mobley who got to do a little improvisation on the piano and drums. Dinner and jazz was a fun event that people were able to enjoy for $10 which really helps the music program.
