Image: Various students in the Jazz Festival performing

By Isaiah DuBose III, Staff Writer

Five months of practices, lessons, and excitement culminated in an electrifying afternoon of soul. Under the direction of Morehouse freshman Cameron Smith, the inaugural Jazz Fest showcased the musical talents of students across the AUC. The ensemble of singers, drummers, guitarists, woodwinds and brass played together like a well-oiled machine. 

The performers woke up early Saturday to meet at Ray Charles Performing Arts Center for last minute rehearsals. Singers harmonized to “In Love with You” by Erykah Badu in the hallway, the drummers were perfecting their tempo in a repurposed classroom, and the woodwinds and brass were practicing “Tank!” from “Cowboy Bebop” in the orchestra room.

The performers were given a lot of creative freedom with the song selections and solos–giving them a chance to perform songs that aren’t typically played at Morehouse by the concert and jazz bands. 

Being a student led event, practices were more flexible, and students were responsible for holding each other accountable. 

“We talk to each other. We give each other criticisms. We won’t go into super long lectures, we’ll just say figure it out,” Smith said. “I’m not going to fuss at you. If you want to do this, we’ll do this. If not, the song will get cut.” 

Student leadership came with its challenges. The Jazz Fest was delayed a couple times due to conflicts, miscommunications, and sponsors pulling out. Morehouse sophomore Clark Brown said they struggled with getting taken seriously as students, which made for a lot of adversity. 

“We had multiple delays- event time changes, place changes. Conflicts with concert band, jazz band, marching band. It’s been kind of an issue being students, you get pushed around a lot just politically,” Brown said. 

In the end, they overcame their struggles and made the most out of their situation. The delays gave them ample time to practice and expand the setlist, which many performers found valuable. Clark Atlanta University freshman Kyra Pollard, one of the vocalists, considered the delays a blessing in disguise. 

“With the festival being pushed back a month, we had a lot more time to practice. For me personally it was just a thing where I tried to take it in stride and just say now I have more time to improve,” Pollard said. 

Their long journey paid off, and they were able to display what they had been working towards. The music filled the chapel and could be heard as far as Chivers Dining Hall. 

Many songs were played alongside standout solo performances. Sasha Williams sang “I Can’t Help It” by Michael Jackson, in a performance that exhilarated the audience. Trumpet, trombone, saxophone, and guitar solos had the audience out of their seats cheering. 

Morehouse senior Zachary Moore, a drummer, was most excited to see the audience’s reaction to the festival, and their expressions did not disappoint. 

“It’s really just exciting to see other people love the music that we play. Just seeing them actually happy and seeing them enjoy themselves is what I want to see in the end,” Moore said.

Copy Edited by: Colin Royal, Managing Editor of Print