| boston horns | (c) 2008 |
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Andover Townsman
Boston Horns boost Andover music scholarship
By Bethany Bray
Staff Writer
Thu, May 01 2008
The Old Town Hall will be grooving Friday.
The Boston Horns will bring their signature jazz and funk sound to town to help raise money for a music scholarship.
Tickets for the May 2 event are $10, and all proceeds will help fund the fledgling Andover Band Association scholarship for a graduate who plans to major in music or
perform in a college band, choir or other ensemble.
The Horns, who have performed all over the world, have a connection to Andover. Two members teach music in the town's schools. Jeff Buckridge, who plays guitar with
the world-famous band, teaches at Doherty Middle School and is planning the performance with the Andover band Association. Greg Savluk, the Horns' leader, teaches
trumpet lessons and leads one middle school and one high school jazz band.
Buckridge, the director of the district's jazz program, said the organizers hope to raise enough to award the first scholarship to a 2008 music grad.
"This year in particular, there are eight or 10 seniors planning on doing music at the college level," he said.
In addition to the Boston Horns' performance, three 20-minute sets will feature student performances. They are Captain Mojo, a ska, funk and rock band featuring four
Andover High seniors, Steve Goldshein, David Easton, Greg Ragnio and Conor Hickey; Informal Vibe, a jazz fusion group featuring three sophomores, John Fiorentino,
Brendan O'Donnell and Matt Cohen; and Gracie Jackson, a senior singer/songwriter.
"If this works, maybe we could make it into a yearly event, with another professional band. It's good entertainment and it's a good cause. This helps keep the music
program (in Andover) vital. In this day and age, cuts can come and interest can fall. If the program continues to be a strong program and active in the community, it can
perpetuate itself. We're doing this more than just for the scholarship, it benefits the community at large," Buckridge said.
Districtwide, Andover has about 100 kids involved in jazz, with two jazz bands at the middle school level and two jazz bands at AHS. Buckridge, who has been teaching in
Andover for 10 years, also leads a jazz band at the high school.
Buckridge has played guitar for the Boston Horns for 10 years, and toured Japan with the group last year. The Boston Horns writes all its music, regularly plays jazz
festivals and clubs and has recorded several albums, but has never performed in Andover before.
"Teaching is my career, but (playing with the Boston Horns) it's like my second job," Buckridge said.
The band plays "contemporary jazz with a leaning toward a funky sound," comparable to bands like Tower of Power and the 1970s jazz/rock of Herbie Hancock or the Dirty
Dozen Brass Band, Buckridge explained.
"It's danceable. Horns are our main sound, but with a beat. We focus on rhythm, but have a jazz background with instrumentation. It's a funky beat, but still in a jazz
mindset," he said.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Boston Horns boost Andover music scholarship
By Bethany Bray
Staff Writer
Thu, May 01 2008
The Old Town Hall will be grooving Friday.
The Boston Horns will bring their signature jazz and funk sound to town to help raise money for a music scholarship.
Tickets for the May 2 event are $10, and all proceeds will help fund the fledgling Andover Band Association scholarship for a graduate who plans to major in music or
perform in a college band, choir or other ensemble.
The Horns, who have performed all over the world, have a connection to Andover. Two members teach music in the town's schools. Jeff Buckridge, who plays guitar with
the world-famous band, teaches at Doherty Middle School and is planning the performance with the Andover band Association. Greg Savluk, the Horns' leader, teaches
trumpet lessons and leads one middle school and one high school jazz band.
Buckridge, the director of the district's jazz program, said the organizers hope to raise enough to award the first scholarship to a 2008 music grad.
"This year in particular, there are eight or 10 seniors planning on doing music at the college level," he said.
In addition to the Boston Horns' performance, three 20-minute sets will feature student performances. They are Captain Mojo, a ska, funk and rock band featuring four
Andover High seniors, Steve Goldshein, David Easton, Greg Ragnio and Conor Hickey; Informal Vibe, a jazz fusion group featuring three sophomores, John Fiorentino,
Brendan O'Donnell and Matt Cohen; and Gracie Jackson, a senior singer/songwriter.
"If this works, maybe we could make it into a yearly event, with another professional band. It's good entertainment and it's a good cause. This helps keep the music
program (in Andover) vital. In this day and age, cuts can come and interest can fall. If the program continues to be a strong program and active in the community, it can
perpetuate itself. We're doing this more than just for the scholarship, it benefits the community at large," Buckridge said.
Districtwide, Andover has about 100 kids involved in jazz, with two jazz bands at the middle school level and two jazz bands at AHS. Buckridge, who has been teaching in
Andover for 10 years, also leads a jazz band at the high school.
Buckridge has played guitar for the Boston Horns for 10 years, and toured Japan with the group last year. The Boston Horns writes all its music, regularly plays jazz
festivals and clubs and has recorded several albums, but has never performed in Andover before.
"Teaching is my career, but (playing with the Boston Horns) it's like my second job," Buckridge said.
The band plays "contemporary jazz with a leaning toward a funky sound," comparable to bands like Tower of Power and the 1970s jazz/rock of Herbie Hancock or the Dirty
Dozen Brass Band, Buckridge explained.
"It's danceable. Horns are our main sound, but with a beat. We focus on rhythm, but have a jazz background with instrumentation. It's a funky beat, but still in a jazz
mindset," he said.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.