Rhythm Section
Pianists
Luke Thompson
Junior
Favorite Midwest piece?
Riff, the Wonderdog because I love the blues.
Favorite piece you’ve played?
Blues and the Abscessed Tooth
What would you tell your past self?
Practice more of your classical music!!! (I need to be better at sight reading)
Favorite band/composer?
Emmet Cohen
Sam Crosley
Junior
Favorite Midwest piece?
Tall Cotton- it's my favorite subgenre of jazz.
Favorite piece you’ve played?
Tall Cotton
What is your favorite memory/memorable thing?
Ball State Jazz Festival.
What is a takeaway from our program?
Jazz is the best kind of music.
Guitarists
Vincent Chambers
Junior
Favorite Midwest piece?
I Like Bebop - it is catchy, sophisticated and fun to play.
Favorite piece you’ve played?
Blues and the Abscessed Tooth
In your opinion, what are factors of good music?
Complexity and a catchy bass line with chord changes that make you stay involved.
What inspired you to be in our program?
I played guitar casually and wanted to do it for school.
Michael Lutz
Junior
Favorite Midwest piece?
Rumba En Fuego because I think it’s a really cool sounding piece and the tempo change is really cool.
Favorite piece you’ve played?
Two Seconds to Midnight
What is your favorite memory/memorable thing?
The most memorable part of being in the jazz program is the concerts and competitions outside of Homestead. It’s overall a really fun experience to get to travel to other schools and get to play in so many different auditoriums. My favorite memory is getting pizza before a jazz competition.
What artist could you listen to 24/7?
Arctic Monkeys
Drummers
Wema Mwiindi
Senior
Favorite Midwest piece?
Tall Cotton - It brings so much joy and the intro with our bass player, V Gadson, and pianist, Sam Crosley, makes it very special.
Favorite piece you’ve played?
I played 4-5-6 and I think that has been my favorite tune.
What is a takeaway from our program?
Persistence, every year I have been in jazz 1, we have gotten closer and closer to winning state and we just need to keep going.
What inspired you to be in our program?
Evan Caudill. He’s a really talented drummer I got to play with sophomore year and lowkey stole all his fills.
Ethan Oberley
Junior
Favorite Midwest piece?
Rumba en Fuego - it’s fast and exciting.
Favorite piece you’ve played?
Unparliamentary Language
What would you tell your past self?
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Don’t listen to what others think about you because it is irrelevant.
What is your favorite memory/memorable thing?
My favorite memory is performing at the North Side Jazz Festival last year with my friends and getting a solo award.
Vibraphone
Aidan Crouch
Senior
Favorite Midwest piece?
Tall Cotton - My part is smooth to play and it’s a longer tune.
Favorite piece you’ve played?
Running of the Bulls
What inspired you to be in our program?
The desire to continue playing guitar for school.
What are you looking forward to during the trip?
Spending the night in a hotel with friends and then Christmas break right after.
Bassist
V Gadson
Senior
Favorite Midwest piece?
Probably Rumba, tied with Midnight. Rumba is groovy, energetic, and I LOVE latin type tunes. The tempo changes and overall feel of the tune is very well done and I am so excited to play it in Chicago. Midnight is obviously good, the reason its tied with Rumba is because I literally get to play whatever I want within the chord changes. Its very much so upbeat and a song that feels like it was built for our ensemble. Both are incredible pieces.
Favorite piece you’ve played?
Libertango; had fun lines across the board and I had the opportunity to play it with an amazing section. It was also in general a well put together piece and was consistently a crowd/band favorite.
What inspired you to be in our program?
My diva, Mr. Shilling. From the first day I met him, he was one of the few people that I felt comfortable stepping out of my comfort zone with. He is one of the kindest people I have met and I am so thankful for him every day. He showed me what a good musician is, and taught me how to get there. If he didn't teach my jazz ensemble freshman year, I'm not sure I would be in the place I am today as a bassist. I know that I will be rooted for when I continue on my way to college.
What is your favorite memory/memorable thing?
The most memorable things are the directors. Yes--you have your everyday teachers in core classes, but the directors are like a breath of fresh air. They are there to do their jobs, but they are also there to push you, be stern, and teach you how to be a good person. I think the biggest thing is that they support you like their own kid. They love their students so much that sometimes it feels like a second home.