The Jazz Singer

This evening was Matthew’s last full performance for vocal jazz. While I have attended many years of band concerts with both Mattthew and Daniel and have enjoyed most of them (and tolerated the others), vocal music is still what’s in my heart. As such, I have loved being able to attend more choir concerts this year. And I have really loved the opportunity to hear so many old jazz standards sung by the vocal jazz group. I grew up watching classic 1940’s and 50’s movie musicals and am a fan of older vocalists such as Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney, and newer ones with similar styles like Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Buble. So much of that style of music is rarely heard nowadays and it has been a joy to not only hear it performed, but to see Matthew learning to love it as well. 

Matthew loves jazz music, and he has reveled in the opportunity to sing a lot of it this year. He has a lot of natural talent as far as singing goes, but he has learned a bit of technique and gained some skills that have enhanced that talent. One of the fun things about this evening’s selections was the fact that during one of his solos, I could definitely hear his trumpet skills coming out in his vocalizations. All the time he has spent learning to improv in band has carried over to his vocal improv and when he really started experimenting with it a few months ago, he discovered that it really is second nature to him. So that was a fun bit of music!

The fact that his senior year is almost over hasn’t really sunk in yet, but with this evening’s swan song, it is coming. As for me, I admit I was a bit emotional about this concert because I know that it is nearly the end of a good thing. I know I’ve mentioned this before, but most of Matthew’s close friends from school last year graduated. So, as his senior year started, he was a little bit lost socially. The circumstances of his acceptance into the vocal jazz group were such that he began the year with a bit of imposter syndrome riding on his shoulders. He wasn’t sure if the other students would accept his presence there. But these amazing choir kids just opened their hearts and welcomed my band kid into their world. While Matthew has loved the music, I think the culture and camaraderie were what he needed most. And for the safe place that he has found in the choir room and with these kids, I will always be grateful. 

I’m going to miss these concerts. But Malia has unabashedly declared herself a choir kid, so I know there will be more singing to come. I don’t know if she will want to try out for the vocal jazz group when she gets there, but we will see. Either way, I am looking forward to more choir concerts. And I’m really, REALLY looking forward to being able to unsubscribe from the high school band calendar. 😂