Students from La Jolla Country Day (LJCD) School’s Upper School Jazz Band recently made the trek to the Big Easy as part of New Orleans JAMFEST’09. LJCD students and others from across the country got to walk in the footsteps of the giants of jazz while discovering New Orleans, the city of its birth. The goal was to provide the optimum experience for all performers and directors through cultural immersion and the wonder of learning through cooperation with Loyola Jazz Ensemble Festival, which is in its 39th year. The festival was open to big bands or jazz combos from elementary through junior college level.   LJCD’s Upper School Jazz Band, which is under the direction of Wil Reed, includes Brianna Alexander, Alex Cromidas, Jake Essex, Matthew Friedman, Jason Kang, Justin Kim, Alexandra Rhodes, Allison Rhodes, Max Rudolph, Phillip Squires and Ryan Taylor. In addition to performing at Loyola, the band, which is in its second year, was able to take part in two master classes taught by local New Orleans musicians, take part in a Second-Line Parade through the French Quarter and be part of a series of concerts. This year’s guest artist was Rufus Reid, who has performed and recorded with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Bill Evans and Stan Getz, among others. Reed, who is a graduate of Loyola University New Orleans, said he thought about how significant a trip to New Orleans would be in furthering the students’ understanding of the social and cultural elements surrounding the evolution of jazz.   “I contacted my former jazz professor, John Mahoney, and he invited us to the Loyola Jazz Festival,” Reed said. “Rarely do bands go to a festival in their beginning years, but I felt the opportunity for our students was too good to pass up. As part of the festival, we got to hear music from the students at the Thelonius Monk Institute for Jazz Preservation, currently housed at Loyola. We also heard concerts by the Tony DaGradi Sextet doing their interpretation of Miles Davis’ groundbreaking ‘Kind of Blue’ album, a life-altering concert by the Brian Blade Fellowship, an evening at Snug Harbor with Ellis Marsalis (patriarch of the Marsalis family) and a concert and master class by jazz bassist Rufus Reid. On Saturday afternoon, we joined a traditional New Orleans brass band for a Second-Line Parade through the French Quarter to Jackson Square.” According to Reed, the festival judges complimented the LJCD band on its aggressive style of playing and gave the students and Reed pointers on how to improve and refine their sound. “Our trumpet player, freshman Alexandra Rhodes, was given a best soloist award,” Reed noted. “As was mentioned a couple of times during the course of the trip, this was really a musical pilgrimage to the birthplace of jazz. “By exploring places like the Garden District and the French Quarter, and by eating a few pounds of crawfish along the banks of the Mississippi, the students got to know the sights, sounds, food and people that make New Orleans a unique American city.” Several of the students noted how much they learned from the event, saying it was both a good musical and cultural experience. “I thought this was one of the best experiences that I have ever encountered,” sophomore Matthew Friedman said. “We learned a lot about the culture of New Orleans, how to become better musicians from masters, and even gained some city skills. Overall, a life-changing trip.” According to sophomore Brianna Alexander, “New Orleans was a great experience for all of us. Attending the many concerts, being a student in a master class for the saxophone and participating in a parade through the French Quarter were some of the many things that really opened up my understanding and love for jazz music. “The culture of New Orleans was another aspect of the trip that was equally exceptional. We walked through Bourbon Street, looked out over the Mississippi River and ate beignets at the Café du Monde; just some of the once-in-a-lifetime things that none of Mr. Reed’s Upper School Band class will ever forget.” Freshman Max Randolph also said he gained from the experience, noting, “It gave us a chance to see the city from a cultural and musical standpoint.” The LJCD Jazz Band will play this Sunday, March 22 in the Walk for Water event at Mission Bay (proceeds go to Project Concern International). The band is also slated to play April 18 at The Artist’s Village in Balboa Park and on May 22 at Lajollapalooza, La Jolla Country Day School’s annual music festival.