The Edison High Jazz Ensemble closed a successful season on Saturday, April 27, placing second out of the top nine ensembles at Division I finals. The ensemble was solely exceeded by the Newark Academy’s “Chameleon” band. The victory marked the first time Edison High placed second in finals in half a decade, and the first time it placed higher than J.P. Stevens in 22 years.
Individually, flautist Akshay Khatri ‘24 won one of five outstanding soloist awards, and the trombone section, consisting of Christian Amann ‘24; Ovya Ganesh ‘25; Zachary Crawford ‘27; Jonathan Lee ‘24; and Romulo Tobon ‘24 were deemed the best of the night.
Edison performed three tunes: “Thelonius, Thelonius” by Thelonius Monk, featuring a fast swing; a hip-hop beat inspired by J. Dilla; “Blue,” a slow ballade; and “Foe Destroyer,” a Latin-style groove by Chris McQueen. Many soloists, freshmen and veterans musicians alike, were featured throughout the three pieces, the most significant being Khatri.
“The experience was fantastic,” said Denicuolo. “I really feel as if we built on top of last year’s experience and took things to a new level.”
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Akshay Khatri ’24 plays his solo in “Foe Destroyer” in the final minutes of the program.
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Jonathan Lee ’24 performs his trombone solo on “Thelonius, Thelonius.”
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Christopher Tiedge ’25 finishes his solo in “Foe Destroyer” as he signals the rest of the band to join back in.
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Juan Mora Herrera ’25 concludes his drum solo to lead into a wind solo.
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Last year, the ensemble scored fifth out of nine finalists in the division. The 2023–2024 season saw the transformation of the ensemble with significant improvement in tone, feel, and timing, especially seen in the significant progress made by the rhythm section, according to Denicuolo. The consistency and experience from the winds further elevated the final stage product.
New members served a significant role in improving the ensemble’s performance, such as drummer Juan Herrera ‘25.
“I kept focus prior to performing and remained concentrated to make sure the logistics of the night went well,” said Herrera. “During the performance I just tried to have as much fun as I could to play my best.”
Herrera, among other ensemble members, now focus on maintaining the newfound success of the group in years to come. Seven out of the nineteen members exit the nest next year. However, Denicuolo and upperclassmen maintain their confidence in the potential held by the ensemble.
“From being a scared soloist unsure of his bizarre ideas to winning awards, I feel that throughout my years in jazz I’ve grown a lot,” said Khatri. “And I believe that the ensemble has a positive future as there is a lot of talent in each player.”
The ensemble performed for the final time this year, the Edison High Jazz Spring Concert spring concert, on Monday, May 13 in the auditorium.
