The Marshfield High School Jazz Ensemble I competed at the MAJE Jazz Festival on Thursday night, March 3, 2010 and came away with a silver medal. The students traveled to Stoughton High School for this yearly competition. The Festival, a precursor to the more well known Berklee Jazz Festival, is still a very competitive evening as some of the best high school jazz ensembles from Southeastern Massachusetts participate.

The Jazz Ensemble performed three tunes, Big Dipper by Thad Jones, Manteca by Dizzy Gillespie and Between the Devil and Deep Blue Sea, as arranged for the Stan Kenton Orchestra.

The band got a rating of high silver from one judge and silver from the other two for an overall rating of silver.  A “clinic” is then held with Joe Parillo who is the director of jazz studies at the University Of Rhode Island. He had a lot of helpful suggestions, especially for the rhythm section as he is a professional piano player. The school received his comments and those of the other two judges on CD and according to Director Dave Kaminski, they have incorporated them into their playing as they get ready for the Berklee Jazz Festival.

Special recognition was given to Dan Joyce, on drum set, Paul Falacara on trumpet and Will MacFee on tenor sax for their “Outstanding Performance in a Jazz Ensemble”, The group now moves on to the Berklee Jazz Festival being held next Saturday, March 13 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston.

Congratulations to Dan, Paul, Will and all who participated.