Jazz night at Heights High is May 13
Every year, the Heights High Jazz Ensemble puts on a rousing spring concert, featuring about two hours of the music the group has perfected during the year. This year’s show is Friday, May 13, at 7 p.m. in the Cleveland Heights High School auditorium. Tickets are $5.
Grounded by the rhythm section of Bennett Wildey (bass), Arscola Hudson (drums), and Gwen Donley (piano), the group features Mike Anderson, Greg Fort, Eli Wildey, Brad Alcorn, and Michael Heard (woodwinds); Jonathan Tarnay, Michael Houdek, Sheri Chambers, and Lillie Hall (trumpets); and Paul Stroud, Brittaney Byers, Aidan Hall, and Collin Brubaker (trombones). The Jazz Ensemble’s performance of the Charles Mingus tune, “Haitian Fight Song,” brought a taste of bluesy bebop to the recent Reaching Musical Heights concert at Severance Hall. This year’s program will include music by Mingus, George Gershwin, Johnny Richards, Count Basie, Heights Alum Burny Pelsmajer, and among others.
Brett Baker has directed the jazz program at Heights for 10 years, during which time the groups have consistently won the highest honors at regional competitions. Jazz Ensemble alumni have gone on to do great things. For example, pianist Jacob Bergson and drummer James Muschler (Heights High classes of '06 and '07, respectively, and classmates at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City), played the 34th International Jazz Festival in Bern, Switzerland, and Muschler is recording this spring with the extremely hip trio Moon Hooch in Brooklyn, NY.
Save up $5 and experience Jazz Night at Heights High.
Greg Donley
Greg Donley is a parent of a current Heights musician and one alum, and a founding member of FutureHeights.