By Luka Sostarko, Year 12 Bands Captain

Week 5 was a huge one for our jazz bands students. Students in both our Big Band and Little Big Band travelled to Canberra Grammar School mid-week for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit in on an open rehearsal for one of the world’s most famous jazz bands, Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra, led by Grammy Award-winning trumpet player, Wynton Marsalis. Later in the week, the same students had the opportunity to receive a personal workshop with world-class musicians Kenny Rampton and Nicole Glover. This allowed the students to gain a profound sense of inspiration for the Jazz Cafe performance later that day.

Jazz Cafe was held in Radford's Performing Arts Centre on the evening of 18 August. The event proved to be an outstanding night of jazz performances by many talented student and adult musicians.

The night featured the debut of Radford's Girls’ Jazz ensemble, as well as the Big Band conducted by Mr Ben Marston and the Little Big Band conducted by Mr Joe Taylor. The event also featured our other student jazz ensembles, as well as special guests from outside Radford, Brass Knuckle Brass Band, featuring seven musicians, including Mr Marston.

Throughout the night, audience members enjoyed a relaxing atmosphere listening to some well-known jazz standards, including Sesame Street by Joe Raposo, Four by Miles Davis, and Boplicity by Gil Evans. Both the student and adult musicians gave phenomenal performances of jazz classics to be remembered.

A personal thank you goes to the Big Band managers, Mrs Julia Oreo and Ms Rowena Stevens, for their contribution, as well as our Head of Co-Curricular Music, Mrs Kirsten Knight.

Most importantly, a special thanks to Director of Bands, Mr Marston, for his significant contribution to helping jazz continue to thrive at Radford College.