High school jazz ensembles end year on positive note

The Boardman High School spring jazz concert will be held June 4 at 7 p.m. in the Boardman High School cafeteria. The concert will feature the BHS Jazz Ensembles I, II and III and all under the direction of Thomas M. Ruggieri.

Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for students. Senior citizens are admitted free of charge. Pizza, popcorn, soft drinks, and bottled water will be sold.

The evening will be a culmination of an busy year for the jazz program at BHS with the most recent event being at command performance at B.B. King’s Blues Club in New York City.

It will also showcase the talents of the outgoing seniors. Jazz Ensemble III selections for the concert will include “Salsa Nueva” and “Watermelon Man.” Jazz Ensemble II will feature seniors Mike Landgraff, David Rodenbaugh, and Megan Smith on selections “Birdland,” “The Wind Cries Mary,” and “Hey Jude.”

Jazz Ensemble I seniors are D.J. Colella, Lauren DiCola, Charlie Hillman, Ben Howard, Robert Johnston, Jamie Massaro, Eric Schilling, Matt Simari and Chaz Treharne. They will be featured on selectiJunior vocalist Katelyn Deladurantey will be featured on “Big Spender,” a crowd favorite at B.B. King’s.

Visit www.boardmanband.org for information about the band.

The spring jazz concert is not held in the Performing Arts Center, but in the BHS cafeteria. Ruggieri is often approached by puzzled fans as to why the concert is not held in the Performing Arts Center.

“We like a more relaxed setting for this concert; one in which listeners can enjoy refreshments like pizza, popcorn, and soft drinks during the show. I’ve had more people tell me they like the closeness and energy of the bands,” Ruggieri said.

ons including “Backrow Politics” by Gordon Goodwin, “Fantasy” by Earth, Wind & Fire, Louis Jordan’s “Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby,” and Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind.”