Our annual outdoor jazz concert was a sunny celebration of fantastic ensembles and solo performers. Organised by Mr Beston, this year’s concert took place on the lawn outside Girl’s International House for the first time which provided a beautiful setting.
The Middle School Jazz Band kicked off the evening with some classic Glenn Miller and some less conventional but equally exciting video game music. Gabriel (L6) followed this, singing a gorgeous cover of ‘At Last’. The Woods Ensemble then treated us to an Elvis mashup and a medley of songs from The Jungle Book before the Rollins Ensemble performed some more traditional jazz numbers: ‘Blue Bossa’ and ‘Tenor Madness’.
Our jazz musicians have received fantastic results in their instrumental exams this year, especially Sebi (Y10), Esme (Y10) and Alex (L6) who all achieved diplomas in Jazz Saxophone. The trio performed an arrangement of ‘Cheek to Cheek’ in the concert and it was clear that their diplomas are very well-deserved.
Gabriel then returned to the stage with a Frank Sinatra favourite, ‘Fly Me to the Moon’, before the Cannonball Sax Quartet performed the upbeat ‘Back Beat Boogie’ and ‘Anything You Like’. It was a pleasure to welcome back Noah Davis (OS 2026) who performed a stunning trombone cover of ‘Georgia on My Mind’. Finally, the Jazz Band returned to close the evening with three numbers. They started with a samba before some more Frank Sinatra, then finished with a crowd favourite – ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’.
Mr Beston accompanied each performance, and Mr Harvey kindly supported the organisation and set-up of this wonderful event.
