Picture the Lighthouse Cafe from La La Land – people casually chatting while enjoying live jazz music – but in the DGN commons. The DGN jazz lab band and jazz ensemble, Jefferson middle school jazz band, and Herrick Middle School jazz band performed classical jazz in the commons Friday, Feb. 16. I attended the event and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the FOFA event. 

Upon entering the commons I was met by jazz students dressed in suits, ties, and outfits perfectly suitable for a jazz cafe in the city. The commons were set up in a lounge-style format, and parents and friends were mingling as the concert got started.

To get the show started my friends and I were excited to find a whole table full of desserts donated by members of the DGN Friends of Fine Arts. Homemade brownies, cookies, charcuterie plates, and any dessert you could imagine were up to grab for free, and there was plenty to go around

We filled our plates with dessert and sat in a corner as the jazz cafe started. It opened with a combo played by Ethan Weingust (12), Holden Peckenpaugh (12), John Fioti (12), Varun Ganesh (11), Tessa Murphy (10). This was my personal favorite of the night. The music was soft and rhythmic and made me feel like I was at a real jazz club in the city. Each member of the combo had a solo, which highlighted their individual instruments in a unique way. 

The combo was followed by the Jefferson Middle School jazz band and Herrick Middle School jazz band. The upcoming talent of both groups was extremely impressive, and made me feel confident that the DGN fine arts is in good hands for generations to come. 

After the middle school guest performances the DGN jazz lab came to perform. They played three songs, one of which was performed alongside vocalist Sydney Miller. Her performance reminded me of the jazz ambience I became used to when I was younger from Princess and the Frog. Her voice carries a quality similar to the Disney princess, and only added to the jazz music performed by the impressive instrumentalists. 

To finish out the evening the DGN jazz ensemble performed, and I was blown away once again. The technicality of each of the performers, especially singers Grace Troelstrup and Emily Van Houtan, made me understand Ryan Gosling’s obsession with jazz in La La land. The ensemble performed their songs with a rhythm and swing I could not get enough of. 

Everything about the evening was incredible: the performers, the setup, the desserts. I wish the event would have been advertised even more, because I’m certain other DGN students would have loved the night full of performances. 

I left the night with a renowned appreciation for jazz, and an excitement to attend more DGN fine arts performances like that one. The DGN theater, choir, and band groups will all be performing at the DGN Dessert Showcase Saturday, February 24. The event will be set up similar to the jazz cafe, and trust me, it’s a performance you won’t want to miss.