Schools
Malow Junior High School jazzes up annual festival
Group is the youngest performers at Detroit tradition
The Malow Jazz Band took center stage to introduce listeners at an annual Detroit tradition to the next generation of performers.
“It is an honor that the Malow Jazz Band was selected as the only junior high jazz band in the state to perform at the 2015 Detroit Jazz Festival,” said director Jeffrey Groth. “The performance experience in one of the largest jazz festivals in the state of Michigan is performance opportunity of a lifetime for any musician.”
The Malow Jazz Band performed September 7 with two guest artists. Piano player Scott Gwinell performed with the band on his composition “Green Room.” Bass player Rich Kowalewski performed a solo on “Little Sunflower” with the jazz band’s accompaniment.
The band also performed a thirty minute set with a well attended jazz audience.
Karen Lovejoy Rue, program director at 89.1 WEMU who introduced the band, was enthused about the performance to the extent she thought they were high school students.
The 26-member Malow Jazz Band is an audition-only group comprised of eighth and ninth grade students.
The band performs at all the evening school events at Malow and select Utica Community Schools events. The group has performed twice at Cliff Bell’s Jazz Club in Detroit.
To qualify for the jazz festival, bands had to earn a “1” - or superior rating - at the MSBOA Jazz Festival and submit an audition CD.
