Ledger-Dispatch

By Bethany A. Monk (bmonk@ledger-dispatch.com) =

The Amador County Unified School = District Jazz=20 Band members rehearse Friday morning for the Big Band Jazz = Festival, which=20 they performed in the next day at Columbia College.

Photo by: Bethany A.=20 Monk
The Amador County Unified School = District Jazz=20 Band - comprised of both Amador and Argonaut high school students - = performed in=20 the Columbia College Big Band Jazz Festival Saturday at the = college.

This=20 is the first time students from the district have performed together in = the jazz=20 festival, which celebrated its 30th year both Saturday and Sunday. Other = performers included Paul Contos, Bob Sector, Marvin McFadden and Mic=20 Gillette.

The ACUSD jazz band performed three songs - "Lovely = Lady" by=20 Mark Taylor, "Mister Nice Guy" by Larry Neeck, and "Cruisin'" by Lennie = Niehaus=20 - at the festival and received feedback from the jazz professionals for = whom=20 they performed, Tootle said.

Performing and playing jazz is a = unique=20 experience for musicians, Chris Tootle said, adding that it's fun to see = the=20 students explore new music. "It's like watching a child in the discovery = process=20 - their eyes light up."

The district's jazz band is a new = creation, and=20 one with an interesting background. The idea for the band came from = Gillette, an=20 original member of the band Tower of Power, who now lives in West Point. = Over=20 the summer, Gillette was giving music lessons to two of Tootle's trumpet = players, Tootle said. When school started, "Gillette showed up to a = marching=20 band rehearsal, and asked me, 'How would you like to start a jazz = band?'"=20 Without hesitation, Tootle agreed, and the two, along with Hank King, a = retired=20 Amador High School teacher, created the jazz band.

"I would call = Mic the=20 catalyst, Hank the director and myself the manager. Mic is the = inspiration for=20 the band," Tootle said, adding that the band was officially formed in = October.=20

The student musicians are "pretty dedicated kids," said King, = who taught=20 music and other subjects for 30 years in the district. He now volunteers = to=20 direct the band during its practices Monday through Friday from 7 to 8 = a.m.=20

"I heard that they hadn't had (a jazz band) since 1982 and that = bothered=20 me," Gillette told the Ledger Dispatch Friday. He found King and Tootle, = and the=20 three musicians got to work.

"Hank King is more of a catalyst = than I am.=20 Hank has all the knowledge - he's an undiscovered gold mine," he said.=20

Gillette credits King, Tootle and the jazz band members for = getting up=20 early on school days without earning any credit or extra pay for doing = so.=20 "They're all just volunteering. This is something that needs to be = propagated=20 and encouraged."

Tootle said the band has a lot fun together. "We = don't=20 get up at 5 a.m. to be serious," he said, noting the band's motto, = created by=20 Gillette.

King said he does it for the music and "seeing, hearing = the=20 kids make music. When it's right, it's right. It's like nothing else." = It's also=20 good for them, he said.

"Research shows that kids who are = involved in=20 music are smarter," King said, adding that studying music helps "build = bridges=20 between the two hemispheres in the brain. "(Music) will take them where = they are=20 and make them better."

King's concerned, he said, over the = looming budget=20 cuts and the affect they may have on music in the schools. When he was a = teacher=20 in the district, there were five music teachers in the district, he = said. Now=20 there are only two. Cutting any more music teachers or programs from the = district would be "devastating," he said.

King was in band = during high=20 school, and that kept him in school. "I would not have been a high = school=20 graduate if it weren't for band."

King directed the band Saturday = as=20 Gillette and Tootle performed right along with them. "This stuff is all = about=20 the kids," Gillette said, adding that he wants to make sure the jazz = program=20 lasts "and gets some history behind it."

The ACUSD will perform = in the=20 31st Anniversary Mother Lode Hot Jazz Party Sunday, April 26 in Jackson. = Tickets=20 for the event are $17 in advance (by April 24) or $20 the day of the = event.=20 Eleven bands, including Stompy Jones, the Creole Jazz Kings, Yosemite = Jazz band,=20 and a slew of others, will participate in the event, which runs from 11 = a.m. to=20 6 p.m. The party will take place at three locations: The Jackson = Rancheria=20 Casino, Hotel and Conference Center, the Jackson Elks Lodge and Mel and = Faye's=20 Diner. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Amador-Argonaut Band = Boosters=20 and The Arc of Amador and Calaveras. For more information, visit www.=20 jacksoncasino.com or call (800) 822-WINN.

For more information = about=20 musical events in Amador County, visit = www.amadorstudentmusicfund.org.

Bethany A. = Monk