SWIBA District Jazz Festival

Senior Justin Somers plays the trumpet in the jazz band.

Senior Justin Somers plays the trumpet in the jazz band.

by Corgan Petersen

On Monday, Feb. 16, the SWIBA District Jazz Festival was held in Glenwood.  This contest was held for the Southwest district of Iowa.  All four classes competed for a chance to go to the Iowa Jazz Championships in Des Moines.  The top two placers from each class would automatically go to the Jazz Championship.  This event is held in the honor Dick Bauman, a member of the Jazz Educators Hall of Fame.

Atlantic competed against other 3A schools from Denison (who had two bands,) Glenwood, and Harlan.  Atlantic performed the selections of “Blues for the “Cap,” “Sunset and the Mockingbird,” and “Holy Habeñero.”

The awards contest revealed the judges had placed Denison II in fifth, Atlantic in fourth, Denison I in third, Glenwood in second, and Harlan in first. The overall outstanding soloist was awarded to Sam Calhoun of Glenwood but in individual band awards, outstanding soloist awards would be given to senior Ben Parker on both tenor sax and clarinet and sophomore Anna Iekel on piano.

Band director Jarrod O’Donnell said, “I thought it was the best performance the Jazz Band had done all year. Everyone played with confidence and they were all having fun out there. I think the confidence was up over other contests this year and in past years. Everyone was relaxed, and we really got into a nice groove as soon as we kicked off the first chart.”