This year's NBCHS Winter Band Concert is Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria at the North Battleford Comprehensive High School.
The Vikings Jazz Band recently attended a workshop at the University of Saskatchewan and played at the Bassment, Saskatoon's long-running jazz club, to get themselves tuned up and in the groove.
"What do you need to be a good trumpeter?" asked Brad Turner, two-time Juno Award winner, in the middle of his afternoon clinic with the Vikings Jazz Band.
"A big ego," was the response from the band that left Turner in stitches.
He clearly had his work cut out for him with this group that had been ably prepared by its two directors, Jackie Kroczynski and Amy Francais.
Fortunately, he was assisted during the clinic by bassist Kristin Korb who hails from Montana originally but now makes her living in Denmark. Between the two of them, they workshopped all three pieces in the jazz band's repertoire in preparation for the performance that night.
Dean MacNeil, Head of the Music Department at the University of Saskatchewan, introduced the out-of-towners at their big gig at the Bassment.
The Vikings Jazz Band launched immediately into the light swing of the Count Basie Band standard Alright, Okay, You Win. The band then headed south to New Orleans with a rousing rendition of Iko Iko before closing their set with the Herbie Hancock original Chameleon. All in all, Vikings Jazz Band put on a fabulous show.
They've already booked a return trip to the Bassment in April, but if you want to catch them in town, be sure to attend the NBCHS Winter Concert Thursday, Dec. 4 at 7 p.m. They will definitely help you to get your groove on.
