On 11/26/09, Ace guitarist Jeff Massanari gave a master class which wowed not
only our guitarists but the whole band. We hope to bring in other great musicians
to inspire us very soon!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Guitarist Jeff Massanari gives a master class!
On 11/26/09, Ace guitarist Jeff Massanari gave a master class which wowed not
only our guitarists but the whole band. We hope to bring in other great musicians
to inspire us very soon!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Homecoming Game!
On 10/2/09 Jazz Band Joined the Festivities for the Homecoming Game and Celebration of
the new Football field night lights by playing a brief set.
They sounded awesome!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Jazz Band Happenings!
Hello everyone and welcome aboard. This year is going to be amazing. We are blessed with some very talented young people who are excited about music in general and are committed to taking their skills to a higher level. Its great to be a part of it all.
Jazz Combo will be playing for the Rennaisance Campaign this coming Thursday (9/24) and the Advanced Jazz Band will be playing at Our Lady of Grace in Castro Valley on Sunday (9/27) for the first time. We hope you can come out and check us out!
Jazz Combo will be playing for the Rennaisance Campaign this coming Thursday (9/24) and the Advanced Jazz Band will be playing at Our Lady of Grace in Castro Valley on Sunday (9/27) for the first time. We hope you can come out and check us out!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Welcome Back Everyone!!
I'm sure you've all had amazing experiences this summer and I'm looking forward to hearing about it (within reason) during class...however we are in for an incredible year and I can't wait to see you all this Friday so that we can get started. This year I'll be teaching a beginning jazz band class in addition to advanced where I can train people.
If any advanced students want to fall by during 4th period (black days) you are
most welcome. Rafi Ronquillo will be a TA for this class during 2nd semester and I am very thankful to
him for helping out!
Also I'll be teaching Symphonic Band every day at 7:30am. I have a lot of great music
for this group, its going to be quite and experience. Finally, pep band will be playing
at the home games. I have some music that I think you'll really like for that group. So, as they say, "less talk more music!"
See you all on Friday
Mr. Randolph
If any advanced students want to fall by during 4th period (black days) you are
most welcome. Rafi Ronquillo will be a TA for this class during 2nd semester and I am very thankful to
him for helping out!
Also I'll be teaching Symphonic Band every day at 7:30am. I have a lot of great music
for this group, its going to be quite and experience. Finally, pep band will be playing
at the home games. I have some music that I think you'll really like for that group. So, as they say, "less talk more music!"
See you all on Friday
Mr. Randolph
Monday, June 1, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
2nd Annual "End of the Year Blowout at Anna's!"
We did it again, a great event at Anna's Jazz Island to celebrate the end of the year...
thanks to everyone for helping make this a smooth running show and especially thanks to Anna Deleon for hosting us, see you next year and have a great summer!
Noon Concert 5/19/09
Another great noon concert on a beautiful Tuesday morning, here are some photos of the event....
Monday, May 18, 2009
Spring Concert Photos!
Thanks to all who helped make our Spring Concert such an exciting, creative evening of music. Everyone played fantastically and Scott Lindorfer's original piece blew everyone away. Here are some photos of that special night.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Save the Date....Jazz band and Combo Spring Concert May 12th!
Jazz band is now gearing up for the Spring Concert on Tuesday May 12th at 7:30pm.
We have some special surprises in store for you, including a premier of a composition
by our very own Scott Lindorfer!
More updates soon....
We have some special surprises in store for you, including a premier of a composition
by our very own Scott Lindorfer!
More updates soon....
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Spring Fling at the Living Lab!
Jazz Band performed an energetic set this past Sunday (4/26/09) at the Living Lab following a great warm-up set by the combo. We raised $200 towards equipment needs. Congrats to all on a fine effort! Here are some photos of the event taken by Mr. Gunther.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Jazz Band Performing at Spring Fling This Sunday 4/26/09
Hey music and art fans, this Sunday is the Spring Fling at the Living Lab from 1-5pm. Jazz Band and combo will be playing and there will be an art show featuring student & faculty drawing, painting, & sculpture. There will be art demonstrations and hands-on scientific exploration not to mention barbeque which will be cooked up by jazz band members and parent volunteers. This event will be a fund raiser for Jazz Band, Living Lab, & the Art Dept. so come on out and support a great cause!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
O'Dowd Plays San Jose State U. Jazz Festival 3/26/09
This will be our first appearance at SJSU Jazz Festival run by a fine musician named Aaron Lington. The students are fired up for this one, we had a great rehearsal yesterday and everyone feels that we'll "make some noise" in San Jose...see you there!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
O'Dowd Jazz Playing at Assumption School, San Leandro this Friday!
In a continuing effort to "spread the word" about our jazz program, O'Dowd Jazz Band will be playing a concert/clinic at Assumption Middle School in San Leandro this Friday
3/20/09. These events are a lot of fun and a chance for us to demonstrate what we do to the younger crowd (whom we hope will join us soon!)
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Noon Concert 3/12/09
Here are some photos of our "jazz stars in the making" from last week's noon concert.
O'Dowd Jazz Rhythm Section wins 2nd place at Campana!
Congratulations are in order: our stellar rhythm section won 2nd place at the prestigious Campana Jazz Festival. That shows what hard work, focus, and teamwork can really do. We're all very proud of you guys!
Monday, February 16, 2009
O'Dowd Jazz Band Receives Excellent Ratings at Campana Jazz Festival!
O'Dowd Jazz Band played at the Campana Jazz Festival on Saturday morning February 14th (Valentine's Day),
receiving "Excellent" ratings from two judges and "Superior" from a 3rd. No cameras were allowed in the performance
but Beverly Juan took some great shots of the clinic with the great Dann Zinn who gave us all pointers on intonation, breathing,
and other important areas.
O'Dowd Jazzers Thomas Semow and Evan Monroe Honored at Campana Jazz Festival!
Bassist Thomas Semow and drummer Evan Monroe, two of our most dedicated young musicians, were each honored at the recent Campana Jazz Festival held at Amador High School in Pleasanton. Check out the photo of these deserving young men!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Chick Corea's Advice...
Here are some excerpts from Chick Corea's current tour blog (with Five Peace Band)
Check it out...
Ok, down to business - - cheap advice. This time in answer to Eric from Sweden.
Ahl // Nov 10, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I’ve been studying the three tonic scale since a couple of weeks back and even though I know the harmonization and where to apply it through a theoretical point of view, I’m having a bit trouble applying it in my improvising over jazz songs…
…So my question to you, Mr Corea, is: where do you apply this scale? which type of chord do you think suits it best and do you approach the “off-notes” as chromatic leading notes?
First of all, Eric, I don’t understand what you mean by a “three tonic scale.” Sounds interesting, but I’ve never heard that phrase used so I couldn’t tell you where to apply this scale, as you asked. But your question opens the door to a subject that you may get tired of me reiterating over and over again - but bear with me as I feel it’s really an important point to understand (my opinion and therefore my cheap advice).
Try these ideas on for size. They work for me, anyway:�
Let’s define “scale.” I see it as any series of notes that go up from one note ending with a higher note several or more steps above - or that go down from one note, through a series of notes, to another. There are the standard Western scales which I learned growing up (such as the Major scale, Minor scales, Diminished scales, etc. You can find these scales defined in most books on beginning harmony or beginning music). Then there are the scales that are used by non-Western musicians from non-Western cultures that I know the sounds of, somewhat, but am less familiar with - like Indian, Japanese, or Balinese music. But just start with the idea that a scale is ANY series of notes that go up or down or up and down - no matter what intervals make up that scale - and no matter that it’s from our Western 12-tone scale or any other scale. It’s still “a series of notes that go up and/or down.
Ok, now let’s address the last part of your question “… what type of chord suits it best …”� This is the cheap advice that I will continually repeat. It’s that each musician must develop the courage and integrity to make these decisions completely on his own and from his own viewpoint and tastes. That’s a tall order and it may take all kinds of trial and error to attain that self-certainty - - but the end goal should be kept in mind - - that in the matter of what parts of music go together best, your own tastes and decisions are the only ones that really count for you.
So here’s my cheap advice as to how to go about it:
1) Learn all the scales you can find - from books, from recordings, from listening to live music, from questioning other musicians - and especially from transcribing from recordings any scales that sound interesting to you.
2) Take these scales (you can start with just one or two) and start experimenting with them. Play them - fool around with them. See what music you can make with them. See how they may fit into songs or improvisations that you like. Make sure you continue to use your own judgment about what works or doesn’t work - what sounds good to you and what doesn’t.
3) When you find some scales that you really like and the music starts to flow - write songs and phrases with the new scales. Improvise with them. Perform the songs. See how it goes. Then write some more.�
4) Once you see that you can do these first 3 things (and you can do them over and over again) - - then begin creating your own scales. Series of notes that sound good to you. Write them down. Even give them names if you want to. Write songs and improvise with these. Combine them with other scales you’ve learned.
4a) By the way, you can do the same thing (1 through 4) with chords and voicings.
5) And finally - forget all about “scales” and “what chords and notes fit into them” - - and just play what you hear!
You can do 1 through 5 over and over and over - - and build up your “repertoire” of scales, chords and various techniques - - and keep inventing new ones. Eventually these “techniques” become part of you because you are now “inventing” them - - therefore you now never need to rely on “memorization” - - it’s all just a flow of creation, always in a new unit of present time.
Ahhh - - easy to say - - but - - - - the test and the fulfillment is in the ACTION! Good luck - - and many happy (and/or grueling) hours of searching and creativity - and making Music!� - - Chick
Check it out...
Ok, down to business - - cheap advice. This time in answer to Eric from Sweden.
Ahl // Nov 10, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I’ve been studying the three tonic scale since a couple of weeks back and even though I know the harmonization and where to apply it through a theoretical point of view, I’m having a bit trouble applying it in my improvising over jazz songs…
…So my question to you, Mr Corea, is: where do you apply this scale? which type of chord do you think suits it best and do you approach the “off-notes” as chromatic leading notes?
First of all, Eric, I don’t understand what you mean by a “three tonic scale.” Sounds interesting, but I’ve never heard that phrase used so I couldn’t tell you where to apply this scale, as you asked. But your question opens the door to a subject that you may get tired of me reiterating over and over again - but bear with me as I feel it’s really an important point to understand (my opinion and therefore my cheap advice).
Try these ideas on for size. They work for me, anyway:�
Let’s define “scale.” I see it as any series of notes that go up from one note ending with a higher note several or more steps above - or that go down from one note, through a series of notes, to another. There are the standard Western scales which I learned growing up (such as the Major scale, Minor scales, Diminished scales, etc. You can find these scales defined in most books on beginning harmony or beginning music). Then there are the scales that are used by non-Western musicians from non-Western cultures that I know the sounds of, somewhat, but am less familiar with - like Indian, Japanese, or Balinese music. But just start with the idea that a scale is ANY series of notes that go up or down or up and down - no matter what intervals make up that scale - and no matter that it’s from our Western 12-tone scale or any other scale. It’s still “a series of notes that go up and/or down.
Ok, now let’s address the last part of your question “… what type of chord suits it best …”� This is the cheap advice that I will continually repeat. It’s that each musician must develop the courage and integrity to make these decisions completely on his own and from his own viewpoint and tastes. That’s a tall order and it may take all kinds of trial and error to attain that self-certainty - - but the end goal should be kept in mind - - that in the matter of what parts of music go together best, your own tastes and decisions are the only ones that really count for you.
So here’s my cheap advice as to how to go about it:
1) Learn all the scales you can find - from books, from recordings, from listening to live music, from questioning other musicians - and especially from transcribing from recordings any scales that sound interesting to you.
2) Take these scales (you can start with just one or two) and start experimenting with them. Play them - fool around with them. See what music you can make with them. See how they may fit into songs or improvisations that you like. Make sure you continue to use your own judgment about what works or doesn’t work - what sounds good to you and what doesn’t.
3) When you find some scales that you really like and the music starts to flow - write songs and phrases with the new scales. Improvise with them. Perform the songs. See how it goes. Then write some more.�
4) Once you see that you can do these first 3 things (and you can do them over and over again) - - then begin creating your own scales. Series of notes that sound good to you. Write them down. Even give them names if you want to. Write songs and improvise with these. Combine them with other scales you’ve learned.
4a) By the way, you can do the same thing (1 through 4) with chords and voicings.
5) And finally - forget all about “scales” and “what chords and notes fit into them” - - and just play what you hear!
You can do 1 through 5 over and over and over - - and build up your “repertoire” of scales, chords and various techniques - - and keep inventing new ones. Eventually these “techniques” become part of you because you are now “inventing” them - - therefore you now never need to rely on “memorization” - - it’s all just a flow of creation, always in a new unit of present time.
Ahhh - - easy to say - - but - - - - the test and the fulfillment is in the ACTION! Good luck - - and many happy (and/or grueling) hours of searching and creativity - and making Music!� - - Chick
Mr. Randolph Gets Married!
Amazing but true! I married my dear companion Marcia in an intimate (immediate family
and best friends only) ceremony at Waikiki's Pacific Beach Hotel on December 20th '08
We're very thankful for the many blessings in our life, our families, our friends...and
(very important)...our students!!
Here are a couple of photos...
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