The 2007 Florida Bandmasters Association District I Jazz MPA

video, MP3s and story by J.Starke The Jazz band sizzled on February 23rd, 2007 @ Crestview H.S.  The music was crisp and the mood was mellow.  This is the first time Booker T Washington H.S. has sent a Jazz band to the MPA.   The Jazz band members were dressed sharply in white shirts and black pants.  You had to take a double look at some of the members as they look a little different when they get "cleaned up." We departed BTWHS at 4:15Pm and rode over in a limo (yellow school bus) to Crestview.  Our Jazz band watched as the Escambia HS II and Tate HS II bands performed.  The guys and 2 girls then proceeded to the warm-up area.  The instruments needed more warming than the musicans did.  The instruments had gotten cold as it was rather cool outside.  Mr. Young told the kids to blow heat into your instruments to warm them up and then we will tune up the instruments.  F# (f-sharp), again... pull out a little, push in a little.. again!     We performed 2 songs and stayed to watch Crestview HS I and Fort Walton Beach HS I bands perform.  We realized that we have to perform at the festival in the AM so we departed Crestview HS and we went to eat at a place where we were treated like kings (BK).  Well we wore crowns any way (-:.  Arriving about midnight at the Booker T band room we quickly diseembled and departed for home, knowing we had to get up and be downtown at 9AM.  The pillows must've felt soft that night as believe it or not our first try out wasn't too bad.  We received two excellents and one good from the 3 judges. Our two selections were fantasy and night_train! Enjoy! Next year we will be bigger and better. Story, video soon!