The Garnet Valley High School Jazz Band begins their performance tonight with a composition by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn titled “Such Sweet Thunder”.  It is the opening movement of their Shakespearean Suite, composed in 1957.  This tune will feature Logan Craley on trumpet and Tim Elliott on trombone.

Their second selection tonight is another Ellington/Strayhorn composition.  This one is a ballad composed as part of the suite “Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald”.  Originally played by the great Ellington trumpeter Shorty Baker, this tune will feature Sathvik Chadive on trumpet.

Our third and final number is the funky rock classic by Thad Jones entitled “Us”.  Thad Jones was a highly influential trumpeter and composer/arranger for big band.   Together with drummer Mel Lewis, he led the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band, which continues to perform to this day as the Vanguard Band every Monday night at the Village Vanguard in New York.  This tune features all the sections of the band, and brief solos by lead alto Dan Lin.