JAZZ
CRASH INTO CHRISTMAS
Crash into Christmas is the annual celebration of all things jazzy and Christmassy at Sevenoaks School . This year was no exception with several groups new to the concert , an impressive array of solos , and a very special visit from Santa .
The evening kicked off with the a cappella group , setting the scene for the concert with ‘ White Christmas ’, followed by the Big Band in all its jazztastic glory . The Hit Squad , a Marimba group , offered a unique ‘ Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ’ for their very first performance at Crash into Christmas , and the flute choir rang out like festive birdsong on a clear winter morning . Then , the Rollins Jazz Ensemble exhibited a splendid debut featuring several improvised solos , capturing the heart of jazz lovers throughout the audience . Concluding the first half enthusiastically , the Middle School jazz band broke away from the Christmas theme , playing ‘ Sweet Caroline ’, a well-known song with a lesser-known origin , that it was written for Caroline Kennedy , John F Kennedy ’ s daughter .
Crash Choir , another new group , energetically opened the second half with their very own elf ( foreshadowing a later guest ). What is cooler than a saxophone ? A whole bunch of saxophones . The saxophone megaband ( plus drums ) blew the roof off with a melodious performance of ‘ Frosty the Snowman ’. Next , the wind quintet and sax quartet both brought a more intimate presence to the stage , though just as spirited . Afterwards , the lights went down for a moment of sophistication and class as Andrea Olsen sang ‘ O Helga Natt ’ (‘ O Holy Night ’ in English ), a traditional Swedish Christmas tune . After Big Band part two , accompanied by even flashier lighting than at the beginning of the concert ( no pun intended ), it was time for the finale . Mr Beston invited everyone back onto stage for the ultimate Christmas mash-up and a surprise visit from Santa ( the rumour mill suggests he has already saved the date for next year ), which included lots of confetti !
This first live Crash into Christmas since Covid was an ultimate success . From performers who enjoyed the opportunity to showcase their recent work , to audience members who commented on the incredible event , the occasion overflowed with festivity . Thank you Mr Beston , and everyone who was a part of putting it together !
Jocelyn Smith , Lower Sixth
JAZZ CLUB CONCERT
The jazz club concert is a very special event where our best jazz instrumentalists and vocalists from the school get the opportunity to perform with a professional trio . It takes place in the Sackville Theatre and the venue is set up to become , for one night only , Sevenoaks School ’ s very own Ronnie Scott ’ s ! The first half featured wonderful saxophone solos from Ethan Phillipson , Jocelyn Smith , Mickey Hashim , Sophia Zinicola and Will Ross . There were also exceptional
54 MUSIC REVIEW