Jazz drummer, Max D'Anda, 17, keeps a beat for the LACHSA Jazz Sextet, a band that played for a packed house of Chief Sealth students in their auditorium Wednesday, April 28. The band represented the Thelonious Moink Institute of Jazz. That icon's son, Thelonious Monk, Jr. founded the orgranization following the death of his father. He was on hand to speak to the audience and guide the students.
Chief Sealth High School’s auditorium became hip and hopping as members of the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz visited, including six musicians from Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, or the “LACHSA “ Jazz Sextet performed Satin Doll and others through improvisation to a packed house of students Wednesday, April 28.
They were joined by special musical guests including Thelonious Monk, Jr. as part of the “Peer-to-Peer” jazz education program in Seattle Public Schools April 26-30. Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson said some words and then clapped her hands with the students.
CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT
Many of us have heard of jazz legend Thelonious Monk, who lived from 1917-1982. His son and other family members founded the institute in his honor. Monk, Jr. has made his own mark in the jazz world.
Alto saxophonist Antonio Hart, and vocalist Lisa Henry joined the band. Monk didn’t play, but spoke about the Institute and praised the sextet musicians as teen prodigies. Five are 17, one 18, and each was on track to go to Julliard and other musically-oriented colleges. Their fellow teens in the audience seemed to take an interest in their lives as they spoke, and their music as they played.
At one point, Lisa Henry plucked a willing student participant from the audience, Kristopher Wilson, to the delight of his peers, and they sang an impromptu jazzy duet. He appeared proud and well-suited for the performance.
“It felt amazing,” said Wilson just following the number, as he appeared in a pleasant state of shock.
